Re: [Phys-l] Independent Variables

[Ludwik Kowalski <kowalskil@mail.montclair.edu>]

On Oct 30, 2006, at 8:47 PM, thecraftyphantom@australia.edu wrote:

> I was discussing independent and dependent variables with my physics
> students in a recent class.  No matter how I approached the subject a
> number of them asked questions that showed they were having difficulty 
> with
> identifying the independent and dependent variable in a number of 
> cases.
>
> Have others struck this difficulty?  If so, what approaches have you 
> used
> to clarify this issue for students?

1) In physics, unlike in mathematics, the issue becomes important when 
laboratory data are plotted. Why do you need adjectives, such as 
"dependent"  or "independent?"  Our variables already have names, such 
as time, distance, voltage, etc.

2) At a deeper level it might become the cause-and-effect issue. Why do 
you really want to deal with this issue?

Ludwik Kowalski
Let the perfect not be the enemy of the good.