An experimental control is a test that lacks the experimental variable. was one of the solutions prepared in this lab a control? if so, which one? in our experiment, you controlled one of the factors. which one (temperature or nacl concentration) was it? this factor was the independent variable; it was controlled by you, the experimenter. the other variable was a consequence of changes you made. this is the dependent variable. it was a consequence of changes in the independent variable. what factor (temperature or nacl concentration) was the dependent variable?