What Is an Experiment?

 

What Is an Experiment? The Short Answer

In its simplest form, an experiment is simply the test of a hypothesis. A hypothesis, in turn, is a proposed relationship or explanation of phenomena.

Experiment Basics

The experiment is the foundation of the scientific method, which is a systematic means of exploring the world around you. Although some experiments take place in laboratories, you could perform an experiment anywhere, at any time.

Take a look at the steps of the scientific method:

1. Make observations.
2. Formulate a hypothesis.
3. Design and conduct an experiment to test the hypothesis.
4. Evaluate the results of the experiment.
5. Accept or reject the hypothesis.
6. If necessary, make and test a new hypothesis.

Types of Experiments

• Natural Experiments: A natural experiment also is called a quasi-experiment. A natural experiment involves making a prediction or forming a hypothesis and then gathering data by observing a system. The variables are not controlled in a natural experiment.
• Controlled Experiments: Lab experiments are controlled experiments, although you can perform a controlled experiment outside of a lab setting! In a controlled experiment, you compare an experimental group with a control group. Ideally, these two groups are identical except for one variable, the independent variable.
• Field Experiments: A field experiment may be either a natural experiment or a controlled experiment. It takes place in a real-world setting, rather than under lab conditions. For example, an experiment involving an animal in its natural habitat would be a field experiment.

Variables in an Experiment

Simply put, a variable is anything you can change or control in an experiment. Common examples of variables include temperature, duration of the experiment, composition of a material, amount of light, etc. There are three kinds of variables in an experiment: controlled variables, independent variables and dependent variables.

Controlled variables, sometimes called constant variables are variables that are kept constant or unchanging. For example, if you are doing an experiment measuring the fizz released from different types of soda, you might control the size of the container so that all brands of soda would be in 12-oz cans. If you are performing an experiment on the effect of spraying plants with different chemicals, you would try to maintain the same pressure and maybe the same volume when spraying your plants.

The independent variable is the one factor that you are changing. It is one factor because usually in an experiment you try to change one thing at a time. This makes measurements and interpretation of the data much easier. If you are trying to determine whether heating water allows you to dissolve more sugar in the water then your independent variable is the temperature of the water. This is the variable you are purposely controlling.

The dependent variable is the variable you observe, to see whether it is affected by your independent variable. In the example where you are heating water to see if this affects the amount of sugar you can dissolve, the mass or volume of sugar (whichever you choose to measure) would be your dependent variable.