Distinguish among a scientific fact,a hypothesis, a law, and a theory
http://physics.suite101.com/article.cfm/theory_vs__hypothesis_vs__law
Scientific Fact:
- A scientific fact is an objective and verified observation about the natural world that can be proven through experimentation and/or observation.
- It is a statement that is generally accepted as true by the scientific community because it has been repeatedly tested and confirmed.
- Scientific facts provide a foundation for scientific knowledge and form the basis for scientific investigation.
Hypothesis:
- A hypothesis is a tentative explanation or educated guess about a phenomenon or observation.
- It is a proposed explanation that can be tested through further investigation and experimentation.
- A hypothesis is often formulated based on existing knowledge and observations and is used to guide scientific research.
Law:
- A scientific law is a statement that describes a fundamental principle or relationship in nature, typically expressed in the form of a mathematical equation.
- Scientific laws summarize patterns and regularities observed in natural phenomena.
- Unlike hypotheses and theories, scientific laws describe what happens in nature consistently and predictably without explaining the underlying mechanisms.
Theory:
- A scientific theory is a well-substantiated and comprehensive explanation of a set of observations or phenomena.
- It is based on a vast amount of evidence, experimentation, and multiple lines of empirical data.
- A theory provides a framework for understanding and explaining the natural world, and it can be used to make predictions about future observations and experiments.
- Unlike everyday usage, a scientific theory is not a mere guess or assumption. It is a strongly supported and highly refined explanation that has withstood rigorous testing and scrutiny.
Distinguishing between a scientific fact, a hypothesis, a law, and a theory is an important aspect of understanding the scientific process. Let's delve into each term individually:
1. Scientific Fact: A scientific fact is an objective and verifiable observation about the natural world. It is a statement that is based on empirical evidence and is widely accepted as true by the scientific community. For example, the fact that water boils at 100 degrees Celsius at sea level is a scientifically established fact.
2. Hypothesis: A hypothesis is a proposed explanation or prediction for a specific observation or phenomenon. It is an educated guess that can be tested through experiments and observations. A hypothesis is formulated based on existing knowledge or theories but has not yet been proven. For instance, a scientist might hypothesize that a certain plant grows taller when exposed to a certain type of fertilizer.
3. Scientific Law: A scientific law is a well-tested and extensively validated description of a phenomenon or a set of principles that consistently and reliably explains a particular aspect of the natural world. Scientific laws are concise mathematical or descriptive statements derived from repeated observations and experiments. These laws do not explain why something occurs but rather describe what will happen. An example of a scientific law is Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation, which describes the force of gravity between two objects.
4. Theory: In scientific terms, a theory is a well-substantiated and widely accepted explanation based on a vast body of evidence. A scientific theory goes beyond mere observations and offers an explanation that is supported by multiple lines of empirical evidence. Theories are comprehensive, coherent, and can be used to make accurate predictions. They can be modified and refined as new evidence emerges. Examples of scientific theories include the Theory of Evolution, the Big Bang Theory, and the Theory of General Relativity.
In summary, a scientific fact represents an established observation, a hypothesis is a testable prediction, a scientific law describes consistent patterns or observations, and a theory provides a comprehensive explanation supported by substantial evidence.