Question

ben wants to know how a toy car’s initial speed affects the distance that it is able to travel before it is stopped by friction, so he sets up the following experiment.

in ben’s experiment, he places a toy car on a smooth, flat surface. then, ben applies varying amounts of force to the back of the car and measures the car’s initial speed using a radar gun. the toy car is allowed to drive across the floor until it stops. finally, ben measures the total distance that the car traveled.

what is the independent variable (independent variable) in ben’s experiment?

a. the initial speed of the toy car
b. the total distance that the car traveled
c. the type of car that was used
d. the friction between the car and the surface

Explanation:

In an experiment, the independent variable is the one that is manipulated to observe its effect on the dependent variable. Here, Ben manipulates the initial speed (by applying varying forces) and measures the distance traveled. So the independent variable is the initial speed of the toy car. Option A is correct as it's the variable Ben changes to see its effect on distance (dependent variable). Options B is the dependent variable (measured), C is not varied, D is constant (smooth surface).

Answer:

A. the initial speed of the toy car