Question

A theory

A. is the same thing as a hypothesis.


B. is a hypothesis that has been tested.


C. is developed after a few experiments in one field of study.


D. is developed after many experiments in different fields of study.

Answer 1

A scientific theory is much more than just a hypothesis. While society often uses it as a word that means the same as a hypothesis or a guess, science is not so liberal with the use of the word. Theories carry a lot of weight. They must stand up to tests across the board. This means that the theory must stand up to tests in any and all areas of science that pertain to it.

Think of the theories that we have today. The Theory of Gravity, the Germ Theory, the Theory of Evolution, the Atomic Theory...to name only a few. These are all ideas that science generally accepts as the truth because they have withstood every conceivable or possible testing at this time. For something to remain a theory for so long, it means that these ideas have never been proven incorrect. Yes, perhaps at times the theories have to be modified because science is learning more about things we could not have accounted for in the past, but the main reasoning behind the theory is not so flawed as to require a complete change.

In fact, we have relatively very few scientific Laws. I could got on and on about this subject, because this is a subject that needs to be discussed. So few people in the general public care to learn about the distinctions between what society calls a theory and what science terms it. In science, there is not such thing as "just a theory."

Anyway, I said all that because I couldn't bear to just give a one letter answer to a subject I feel so passionate about. Hope this helps!