How does science work?
A scientist makes an educated guess about a rule: a hypothesis.
- A hypothesis needs to be quantitative.
- It needs to make predictions about the behavior of the universe.
- A hypothesis builds on existing knowledge of the universe
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The hypothesis is tested by experiment or observation.
- If the hypothesis fails a test it must be discarded or modified.
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Example Hypothesis: All objects fall when dropped….
- Is this hypothesis true or false?
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A hypothesis that never fails despite repeated tests of its predictions is called a theory. (In science, ‘a theory’ is something that is a near certainty.)