Which statement best describes a well-formulated hypothesis?

Which statement best describes a well-formulated hypothesis?

• A. It is a statement that can be tested by experimentation
• B. It is always true
• C. It cannot be tested
• D. It is proven prior to testing

Answer: (D)

A well-formulated hypothesis is a statement about how variables relate that can be tested through experiments and observations. It makes a specific prediction that you can collect data on, so you can see whether the results support or contradict it. Because science relies on evidence, good hypotheses are falsifiable — there should be a possible outcome that would show the hypothesis false. Importantly, a hypothesis isn’t proven before testing; it remains a tentative statement that is strengthened or revised based on what the experiments reveal. So the best description is that the hypothesis is testable by experimentation and observation. The idea that it must always be true, that it cannot be tested, or that it is proven before testing doesn’t fit how scientific inquiry works.

A well-formulated hypothesis is a statement about how variables relate that can be tested through experiments and observations. It makes a specific prediction that you can collect data on, so you can see whether the results support or contradict it. Because science relies on evidence, good hypotheses are falsifiable — there should be a possible outcome that would show the hypothesis false. Importantly, a hypothesis isn’t proven before testing; it remains a tentative statement that is strengthened or revised based on what the experiments reveal.

So the best description is that the hypothesis is testable by experimentation and observation. The idea that it must always be true, that it cannot be tested, or that it is proven before testing doesn’t fit how scientific inquiry works.