A student plans an experiment to investigate how the cross-sectional area of a cylindrical metal wire affects its electrical resistance. To ensure that the collected data reliably reflect only the influence of cross-sectional area, the experimental procedure must properly isolate the test variable. Which experimental design correctly sets the independent variable while maintaining the necessary controlled variables?

A) Measuring wires made of different metals that share the same cross-sectional area and length at a constant temperature

B) Measuring wires made of the same metal and length that have different cross-sectional areas at a constant temperature

C) Measuring wires with different cross-sectional areas while simultaneously changing both the metal composition and wire length

D) Measuring wires that have identical cross-sectional areas while systematically altering the wire length and environmental temperature

Variables and controls Transitional Reasoning Practice

Physics · Introduction to Physics · Physics · Scientific Investigation

1 Physics practice questions on Variables and controls. Questions that build towards applied reasoning.

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Introduction to Physics · Physics

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