Scientific Hypothesis, Theory, Law Definitions. Words have precise meanings in science. For example, 'theory', 'law', and 'hypothesis' don't all mean the same thing. Outside of science, you might say something is 'just a theory', meaning it's supposition that may or may not be true. In science, a theory is an explanation that generally is accepted to be true. Here's a closer look at these important, commonly misused terms. Hypothesis A hypothesis is an educated guess, based on observation. Example: If you see no difference in the cleaning ability of various laundry detergents, you might hypothesize that cleaning effectiveness is not affected by which detergent you use. Theory A scientific theory summarizes a hypothesis or group of hypotheses that have been supported with repeated testing.
Example: It is known that on June 30, 1908 in Tunguska, Siberia, there was an explosion equivalent to the detonation of about 15 million tons of TNT. Law A law generalizes a body of observations. Example: Consider Newton's Law of Gravity. Forget WiFi, Connect to the Internet Through Lightbulbs - Technology. Transparency.jpg (JPEG Image, 2000 × 1200 pixels) - Scaled (50%) 2012 March 12 - The Scale of the Universe Interactive.
Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2012 March 12 The Scale of the Universe - Interactive Flash Animation Credit & Copyright: Cary & Michael Huang Explanation: What does the universe look like on small scales? On large scales? Tomorrow's picture: dust before galaxies Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important NoticesA service of:ASD at NASA / GSFC& Michigan Tech. Tree.jpg (JPEG Image, 800 × 800 pixels) - Scaled (79%) 3D Video of Blood Flow and Cell Attachment. ACS: American Chemical Society. ScienceMapPrintMockupEd2.jpg (JPEG Image, 3756 × 3612 pixels)
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