Independent trials refer to experiments or tests where the outcome of one trial does not affect the outcome of another. In statistics, this means that each trial is conducted separately, and the results are not influenced by previous trials. This concept is crucial in ensuring the reliability and validity of experimental results. In the context of probability, independent trials often involve events like flipping a coin or rolling a die. For example, the result of one coin flip does not change the probability of the next coin flip. Understanding independent trials helps in accurately calculating probabilities and making predictions based on random events.