What is a scientific theory?

What is a scientific theory?

• A. A guess about how something works.
• B. An explanation of an event or phenomenon that is well supported by data.
• C. A description of a natural event that occurs exactly once.
• D. A law that cannot be tested.

Answer: (B)

A scientific theory is a well-supported explanation for a broad set of observations and experimental results. It ties together why and how phenomena occur, based on a large body of data, and it makes testable predictions that can be checked with new experiments. Because of that, a theory isn’t just a guess or a single observed event, and it isn’t a law that cannot be tested. The theory remains robust as long as new evidence agrees with its predictions, but it can be refined or revised in light of new data.

A scientific theory is a well-supported explanation for a broad set of observations and experimental results. It ties together why and how phenomena occur, based on a large body of data, and it makes testable predictions that can be checked with new experiments. Because of that, a theory isn’t just a guess or a single observed event, and it isn’t a law that cannot be tested. The theory remains robust as long as new evidence agrees with its predictions, but it can be refined or revised in light of new data.