Scientific Hypothesis
Natural Law vs. Scientific Theory
•Science is a particular way of explaining and/or understanding
the natural world.
•It is based on observation and experiments that can be confirmed
or disproved by other scientists using accepted scientific techniques.
•It allows us to connect the past and the present
The scientific approach often begins with a question, whichcomes from an observation about one or more phenomena innature and follows by a scientific hypothesis.
•An hypothesis is an explanation of one or
more phenomena in nature that can be tested
by observations, experiments, or both.
•A hypothesis must be falsifiable, which means
that it can be proven to be incorrect.
e.g. the dictionary is approximately 60 years old.
(this hypothesis can be verified by checking the copy right
date and/or tested using carbon dating technique)
LAW: A description of how a natural phenomenon will occur under certain
circumstances consistently.
e.g. gravity will cause unattached objects at certain heights within
the Earth’s atmosphere to fall onto the Earth surface/ground.
SCIENTIFIC THEORY: A well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of
the natural world that typically incorporates many confirmed
observations, laws, and successfully verified hypotheses.
e.g. theory of evolution, which aims at explaining the diversity of
life on earth through a process of change; evolution is a
theory because it is a well-tested and well-substantiated
explanation.
A scientific theory isnot a fact!
Even if a theory is a well-substantiatedexplanation, it is not a fact because
we do not have ALL the evidence tomake that conclusion.
Because of the nature of science,
that it s evidence-based, as long as a theorycannot be proven false, it remains true, butwe do not know for sure if it really is true!
Hmm…
•Science is built on evidence observed from the natural world, thereforeit is constantly changing!
•Evidence is gathered through the use of our senses (see, touch, etc)
•Evidence can be confusing, seemingly conflicting and apparently random
•Data is not always consistent
•All the evidence may not be available
•This is why scientific explanations are ‘tentative’
•May have to connect seemingly unrelated lines ofevidence to form hypotheses
•Discerning between useful and useless data ischallenging
•Remember that human values, biases and experiences
can deeply influence science
