A scientist designs an experiment to determine if his explanation for how jellyfish sting is correct. Which part of the scientific method describes his possible explanation?
A. conclusion
B.variable
C. hypothesis
D. scientific law
A and C are a part of the method. Hypothesis is what you want to test.
The part of the scientific method that describes the scientist's possible explanation for how jellyfish sting is known as the hypothesis. So, the correct answer is C. hypothesis.
To understand this, it's essential to know how the scientific method works:
1. Observation: The scientist first observes a phenomenon or gathers information related to the topic of interest. In this case, the scientist might have observed jellyfish stings or read about them.
2. Question: Based on the observation, the scientist formulates a question or problem to investigate. The question could be something like, "How do jellyfish sting?"
3. Hypothesis: The next step is to generate a hypothesis, which is a proposed explanation for the observed phenomenon. The scientist might develop a hypothesis stating that jellyfish sting by releasing venomous cells called nematocysts upon contact with their tentacles.
4. Experiment: With the hypothesis in mind, the scientist designs an experiment to test its validity. They may expose different substances, such as vinegar or saltwater, to jellyfish tentacles and observe the reaction to see if it supports or contradicts the hypothesized mechanism of stinging.
5. Data Collection: During the experiment, data is collected and recorded. This could include measurements, observations, or any other relevant information.
6. Analysis: The collected data is then analyzed using statistical methods and other tools to determine if there is a significant correlation between the tested variables (e.g., different substances and the jellyfish's response).
7. Conclusion: The final step involves drawing a conclusion based on the analysis of the data. This conclusion either supports or rejects the initial hypothesis.
In this scenario, the hypothesis would be the possible explanation the scientist has put forth for how jellyfish sting.