The difference between independent variables vs dependent variables?

Question

i’m trying to write a lab report and idk how to figure out which is which in the experiment

In: Biology

Answer 1

The dependent variable DEPENDS on the independent one. The independent one varies on it’s own without influence from the dependent variable. Easy example. If our experiment was “how does rain impact corn crop growth?”, rain is the independent variable. The amount of rain that falls is independent of corn plant growth. But since corn plants require water, the corn growth is the dependent variable. It depends, in part, on the amount of rainfall.