2006-10-16 06:29:03 · 6 answers · asked by Queenie 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
So if i were doing an experiement investigating how concentration affects the rate of reaction...the dependent variable would be the concentration of the acid? and the independent would be the rate of reaction? Or is that completly wrong?!
2006-10-16 06:36:34 · update #1
The independent is the one u change...so that wud b the concentration.
The dependent is that 1 wich depends on the change...so the rate of reaction wud/may change dependin on the concentration.
2006-10-16 07:02:48 · answer #1 · answered by jo88 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
HI,
Not sure what you know or don't know but here goes.....Obviously, both can change in some way because they are variables ie they are not constant, like the speed of light, say.
One is 'variable' (or 'can be varied'),independently, while the other varies dependently, or is dependent on something or other. In your eg, you would design into your experiment various concentrations of acid and see how the rate of reaction changes. Of course, the concentration of your acid (that you have made up before the experiment starts) does not suddenly start varying because of some rate of reaction. It is fixed at the start of the experiment. It can be varied because you can make up a number of solutions beforehand, so it is still a variable, even though it is fixed, as such, by the very fact that you have made up that given concentration before the experiment started. So, what I am saying is that the rate of reaction varies depending on the acid concentration, so it is this that is the dependent variable........it varies due to the different concentrations. Hope that helps!! :-) PS. If you get stuck, try to imagine if it would make anysense the other way round. In this case you would imagine the 'fixed' concentrations of acid suddenly varying because of the rate of reaction. Then you would have no experiment because you would have no given concentration any more.....You would not be able to plot anything on the graph for acid concentration because it would have changed, and youowouldn't be able to measure that changing concentration easily during the experiment anyway....so none of it makes sense.....therefore it is the other way round...... get it?
2006-10-16 14:03:09 · answer #2 · answered by pgtips 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The independent variable is the one that you can directly adjust and is always found along the X-axis of a graph. The dependent variable changes based on adjustments you've made to the independent variable, it can always be found on the y-axis.
2006-10-16 13:32:09 · answer #3 · answered by VTNomad 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
dependent variable is on the Y or vertical axis, while the independent variable is on the X or horizontal axis.
Usually the variable that is affected by the other goes on the Y axis and the variable which is not affected by the other variable goes on the X axis.
2006-10-16 14:55:09 · answer #4 · answered by J D 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The independent variable is controlled by the experimenter.
The dependent variable is influenced by this.
2006-10-16 13:40:03 · answer #5 · answered by Sciman 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
the independent variable is the variable which is directly altered. the variable you observe and measure any changes to is called the dependent variable
2006-10-16 13:41:33 · answer #6 · answered by sio_17_82 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋