Which of the following best defines a hypothesis?

Which of the following best defines a hypothesis?

• A. Educated guess that is not yet proven. Used to predict the outcome of an experiment
• B. A verified fact
• C. A law
• D. A theory

Answer: (A)

A hypothesis is an educated guess about how two or more variables are related that scientists can test through experiments. It is proposed before testing and makes a specific prediction that can be checked. It is not yet proven and must be testable and falsifiable. This distinguishes it from a verified fact, which is a confirmed observation; a law, which describes consistent natural patterns often with a mathematical statement; and a theory, which is a broad, well-supported explanation of phenomena. For example, if you predict that increasing sunlight will boost a plant’s growth, you’re making a testable prediction about the relationship between light exposure and biomass, which you would evaluate by controlling variables and measuring the outcome. That testability and provisional status is what makes a hypothesis the right description.

A hypothesis is an educated guess about how two or more variables are related that scientists can test through experiments. It is proposed before testing and makes a specific prediction that can be checked. It is not yet proven and must be testable and falsifiable. This distinguishes it from a verified fact, which is a confirmed observation; a law, which describes consistent natural patterns often with a mathematical statement; and a theory, which is a broad, well-supported explanation of phenomena. For example, if you predict that increasing sunlight will boost a plant’s growth, you’re making a testable prediction about the relationship between light exposure and biomass, which you would evaluate by controlling variables and measuring the outcome. That testability and provisional status is what makes a hypothesis the right description.