If the difference between the 2 measuring parameters is more than 10%, then a confounding variable is present. Another method of identifying a confounding variable is to determine if the variable can be linked with both the exposure of interest and the outcome of interest in research.

What is a confounding variable in an experiment?

In research that investigates a potential cause-and-effect relationship, a confounding variable is an unmeasured third variable that influences both the supposed cause and the supposed effect.

What leads to confounding variables being present in an experiment?

Any time there is another variable in an experiment that offers an alternative explanation for the outcome, it has the potential to become a confounding variable. Researchers must therefore control for these as much as possible.