Scientific Hypothesis, Theory, and Law

Scientific Hypothesis, Theory, and Law

Q2 Week 2 Google Meet

Unit 2 Lesson

What is a Hypothesis?

• An educated "guess" based on observations

• Explains a single event

• Can be created by a single scientist

• Can be supported or rejected by one or more experiments

What is a Scientific Theory?

• An explanation of why something happens

• Based on proven hypotheses

• Verified many times

• Supported and accepted by the scientific community

What is a Scientific Law?

• A statement of fact

• Describes what happens, not why

• Generally accepted to be true and universal

• Sometimes expressed as a mathematical equation

• Cornerstone of scientific discovery (if ever found not true, science based on it would collapse)

Examples

Hypothesis

If I water my flower more often, then it will grow taller.

Theory

Theory of evolution (explains why species change over time)

Law

Newton's Laws of Motion (tells how objects behave)

Make a Venn Diagram

Make a venn diagram with 3 circles on a piece of paper. Label each circle: Hypothesis, Theory, or Law. As we go through the questions, fill in your venn diagram.

Multiple Select

Can be changed if new information becomes available.

• Hypothesis

• Theory

• Law

Multiple Select

Widely accepted as true.

• Hypothesis

• Theory

• Law

Multiple Select

The cornerstone of scientific discovery.

• Hypothesis

• Theory

• Law

Multiple Select

Based on a single event or observation.

• Hypothesis

• Theory

• Law

Multiple Select

An explanation of why or how something happens.

• Hypothesis

• Theory

• Law

Multiple Select

A description of what will always happen.

• Hypothesis

• Theory

• Law

Multiple Select

A well proven explanation for a set of observations.

• Hypothesis

• Theory

• Law

Multiple Select

Based on proven hypotheses by many different scientists.

• Hypothesis

• Theory

• Law

Multiple Select

Developed through scientific inquiry process.

• Hypothesis

• Theory

• Law

Multiple Select

Created and tested by one scientist.

• Hypothesis

• Theory

• Law

Multiple Select

Tested through scientific inquiry process.

• Hypothesis

• Theory

• Law

Multiple Select

An explanation that has not yet been proven.

• Hypothesis

• Theory

• Law