Final answer:
The concept that involves isolating and measuring the effect of one variable on another in an idealized scientific investigation is known as the experimental method.
Step-by-step explanation:
In idealized views of science, involving isolating and measuring the effect of one variable on another is best described by the experimental method. This scientific process is characterized by the use of a control group and the manipulation of an independent variable to observe its effect on a dependent variable. In the context of experimental design, the researcher manipulates the independent variable and measures outcomes in the dependent variable while maintaining control variables constant to ensure that any observed effects can be attributed to the manipulations of the independent variable alone.
For example, if a study aims to understand the influence of light intensity on plant growth, the light intensity would be the independent variable that the researcher changes, while the plant growth would be the dependent variable that is measured. Control variables might include soil quality, water levels, and room temperature, which all need to remain constant to ensure that changes in plant growth can be directly linked to variations in light intensity.