Final answer:
A fact remains constant and is established through direct observation, while scientific knowledge changes when scientists conduct experiments to test hypotheses. Experiments can either validate or disprove a hypothesis, and consistent results may lead to the development of scientific laws.
Step-by-step explanation:
A fact is scientific knowledge established through direct observation and remains constant. Scientific knowledge can change when scientists conduct experiments.
In science, the process of establishing knowledge begins with observations which leads to proposing a hypothesis. A hypothesis is a tentative explanation, which is testable and can be supported or refuted through experiments or further observations. While a hypothesis may initially sound like a fact, it isn't until it has been tested and validated.
Scientists conduct experiments to test the validity of a hypothesis by making systematic observations or measurements under controlled conditions. If a hypothesis is disproven by experiments, it must be discarded or modified. Conversely, if experiments consistently support a hypothesis, it gains credibility and may eventually be summarized in a law, which describes a phenomenon but doesn't necessarily explain it.