[Campbell Biology P.72] What are the independent variables and the dependent variable in th... | Practice Question

What are the independent variables and the dependent variable in the owl predation experiment described in the text?

  • A: Independent: Soil color, moonlight presence, mouse coat color; Dependent: Number of mice caught.
  • B: Independent: Number of mice caught; Dependent: Soil color, moonlight presence, mouse coat color.
  • C: Independent: Owl's hunting ability; Dependent: Mouse escape rate.
  • D: Independent: Mouse species; Dependent: Predation intensity.

Explanation

Independent variables are those manipulated or chosen by the researcher to see their effect, which in this case are soil color light/dark , moonlight presence full/no moon , and mouse coat color light/dark coat . The dependent variable is the outcome measured as a result of these manipulations, which is the number of mice caught by the owl.