Question

Using a pendulum apparatus, a participant attempts to derive the physical laws that determine the rate at which a pendulum swings. The participant's approach to solving this problem is to hold a relevant factor (X) constant and to vary a second relevant factor (Y), and then to reverse this procedure by holding Y constant and varying X. According to Jean Piaget, the participant's level of cognitive functioning is most likely

Answer 1

The participant's method of systematically varying one factor while holding another constant indicates engagement in Formal operational thinking, a stage of cognitive development associated with high school age and above.

Step-by-step explanation:

The participant's approach to solving the problem by holding one factor constant while varying another, and then reversing the procedure, suggests that they are engaging in Formal operational thinking, according to Jean Piaget's stages of cognitive development. This level of cognitive functioning is characteristic of individuals typically aged 12 and above, as they begin to think abstractly and systematically.

In a pendulum experiment, the participant would likely be controlling and varying independent variables such as the length of the string and the mass of the pendulum bob to measure their effect on the dependent variable, the period of the pendulum swing. To keep results consistent, controlling other factors like air resistance and string tension would be crucial. Through systematic experimentation, one can determine the relationships and derive the physical laws governing the pendulum's motion.