In scientific terms, what does the dependent variable depend on?

In scientific experiments, the dependent variable is the outcome that researchers measure to see if it changes in response to manipulations or alterations in another variable, known as the independent variable. Essentially, it is the factor that researchers are interested in observing, and it relies on changes made to the independent variable. For instance, if a scientist is testing how different amounts of sunlight affect plant growth, the growth of the plants (the dependent variable) is influenced by the amount of sunlight they receive (the independent variable). Therefore, the dependent variable directly depends on manipulations of the experimental variable, making the first choice the correct answer.

Other options involve concepts that do not accurately define the relationship of dependence. The control variable maintains constant conditions and does not influence the dependent variable in a way that would define a direct dependency. Similarly, assessments of the independent variable refer to observations or measurements taken of the independent variable itself rather than the dependent outcome. Lastly, outcomes of the hypothesis are broader conclusions drawn from an experiment rather than a direct causal relationship, making them unrelated to the specific dependence of the dependent variable.