A scientist suspends a spring from a force sensor. She then pulls on the spring causing the spring to stretch 1.0 cm. She records the amount of force applied to the spring. She then stretches the spring 2.0 cm and measures the new force. She repeats the process several times, each time increasing the length the spring is stretched.

Question

A scientist suspends a spring from a force sensor. She then pulls on the spring causing the spring to stretch 1.0 cm. She records the amount of force applied to the spring. She then stretches the spring 2.0 cm and measures the new force. She repeats the process several times, each time increasing the length the spring is stretched.

The dependent variable in the experiment is the:
a)the length the spring is stretched
b)the amount of force required to stretch the spring
c)the weight of the spring
d)the force sensor
my answer b

Answer 1

She is stretching it with a pulling force, which she can independenltly vary with her muscles, each time recording the force and stretch.

the force is the independent variable, it is causing the stretch (dependent).

Answer 2

To identify the dependent variable in an experiment, you need to consider what is being measured or recorded. In this case, the scientist is measuring the amount of force applied to the spring. Each time she increases the length the spring is stretched, she records the new force. Therefore, the amount of force required to stretch the spring is the dependent variable in this experiment. So, your answer of b) is correct.