Conceptual Physics (12th Edition)

Published by Addison-Wesley
ISBN 10: 0321909100
ISBN 13: 978-0-32190-910-7

Chapter 1 - Reading Check Questions (Comprehension) - Page 17: 11

Answer

A scientific fact is a statement about the natural world that competent observers (who have made observations or performed experiments) all agree on. A hypothesis is an educated guess, an attempt to explain an observation or the results of an experiment, but one that has not yet been repeatedly tested. A law is a hypothesis that has been tested repeatedly without being contradicted by experimental findings or observations. A theory is a coherent set of laws relating to some aspects of the natural world.

Work Step by Step

These lightly paraphrased definitions are found in "Summary of Terms" on page 17.
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