Question

Pillbugs are placed in a container where they have a choice of a wet or a dry environment. Researchers record how much time was spent on each side. What is the dependent variable?

Answer 1

In the pillbug experiment, the dependent variable is the time spent by the pillbugs on the wet or dry side of the container. This measures the pillbugs' environmental preference based on the conditions they are placed in, which are the independent variable.

Step-by-step explanation:

In an experiment concerning pillbugs placed in a container with a choice of a wet or a dry environment, the dependent variable is the amount of time the pillbugs spend on each side of the container. This variable is dependent because it is the result we are measuring and it is expected to change due to the experimental conditions set up by the researchers.

An independent variable is the variable that the experimenters manipulate to see its effect on the dependent variable. In this case, the independent variable is the type of environment provided to the pillbugs - wet or dry.

For a clearer understanding, let's relate this to another example. In an experiment where a scientist grew bacteria on two types of gel (gel A and gel B) to see which one resulted in faster growth, the independent variable would be the type of gel used, and the dependent variable would be the number of bacteria present after 24 hours.