Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
An independent variable is the variable that is manipulated or controlled in an experiment to observe its effect on a dependent variable. In physics, it often represents time when analyzing motion.
5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test
In kinematics, time is commonly used as the independent variable to study how other quantities like position or velocity change over time.
Graphs plotting one-dimensional motion typically have time on the x-axis, representing the independent variable.
The independent variable is chosen by the experimenter and is not affected by other variables in the study.
Analyzing graphs with an independent variable helps determine relationships between different physical quantities.
Understanding how to manipulate and interpret the independent variable is crucial for solving problems involving equations of motion.
Review Questions
Related terms
Dependent Variable: The dependent variable is what you measure in an experiment and what is affected during the experiment.
$y$-axis: In graphs, the $y$-axis typically represents the dependent variable, showing how it changes in response to the independent variable.
$x$-axis: $x$-axis usually represents the independent variable such as time in kinematic studies.