What term describes the variable that is measured in an experiment?

In scientific experiments, the term that describes the variable that is measured is the dependent variable. This variable is directly affected by changes made to the independent variable, which is the factor that the experimenter manipulates.

The dependent variable represents the outcome or effect that researchers are observing in the experiment. By measuring this variable, scientists can assess how it responds to different conditions and draw conclusions about relationships between variables.

In contrast, the independent variable is altered to observe its effect on the dependent variable, while control variables are kept constant to ensure that any change in the dependent variable can be attributed solely to the manipulation of the independent variable. Constant variables refer to those factors that do not change throughout the experiment to maintain a fair comparison. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for designing experiments and interpreting their results accurately.