Final answer:
When new technology disproves a theory, the theory is typically either revised to fit the new information or rejected if it's completely contradicted. Theories don't revert to hypotheses but disproved theories may generate new hypotheses.
Step-by-step explanation:
If new information brought about by new technology disproves a theory, typically one of the following will happen to the theory:
- The theory will be rejected if the new evidence completely contradicts it.
- The theory will be revised or modified to fit the new information if it is still largely valid but needs adjustments to account for new findings.
- The theory will remain in use as a hypothesis if it has been significantly disproven but can still be useful for generating new lines of inquiry.
The statement that 'theories are always right' is incorrect because scientific theories must stand up to continuous testing and are subject to change when faced with new evidence. The likelihood that 'the theory will no longer exist' is too absolute; theories are more commonly adapted or replaced rather than eradicated outright. Similarly, the option that 'the theory will become a hypothesis' is misleading, as a hypothesis is a proposed explanation undergoing testing to become a theory, whereas a theory is already a well-supported explanation for a natural phenomenon and, if disproven, may generate new hypotheses rather than reverting to one.