Identify the independent and dependent variables in the following scenario: Testing whether plant growth is affected by light.

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In experiments, the independent variable is what you deliberately change, and the dependent variable is what you measure as the response. Here, you’re testing how light affects plant growth, so you manipulate the amount of light and observe how the plant responds. Measuring growth rate gives a precise, quantitative sense of how quickly the plant grows under different light levels, making it the best choice for the dependent variable. Using growth as the dependent variable is valid but less specific, and options that flip which variable is changed or that use outcomes like leaf color don’t directly capture the growth response in a straightforward way. So the best match is: independent variable is the amount of light; dependent variable is growth rate.