Final answer:
The independent variable in the mice experiment is the caffeine given to the mice, and the dependent variable is the size of the mice. The independent variable is manipulated to observe its effect on the dependent variable.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Variables in an Experiment
In the context of the provided question, an experiment is a scientific procedure to test if giving mice caffeine affects their size. The independent variable is the variable that is manipulated by the researcher. In this case, it is the caffeine given to the mice. The dependent variable is the outcome that is measured to see the effect of the independent variable, which in this case would be the size of the mice.
Comparing the dependent variable to the independent variable, we can say that the independent variable is the cause or the input (caffeine in our example), and the dependent variable is the effect or the output (the mice’s size). In scientific research, we measure the dependent variable to determine if the manipulation of the independent variable has an effect.
An example provided was about bacteria growing on different types of gel. The independent variable in that experiment is the type of gel used (gel A or gel B), while the dependent variable is the number of bacteria present after 24 hours. The aim is to observe which gel type leads to faster bacteria growth.