Final answer:
After making an observation, a scientist must formulate a hypothesis before designing an experiment. A hypothesis is a testable explanation for the observation(s) made.
Step-by-step explanation:
After making an observation, a scientist must formulate a hypothesis before designing an experiment. A hypothesis is a testable explanation for the observation(s) made. It is a tentative explanation that puts the scientist's understanding of the system being studied into a form that can be tested.
For example, let's say a scientist observes that plants grow taller when exposed to more sunlight. Based on this observation, the scientist can formulate a hypothesis that states, "If plants are exposed to more sunlight, then they will grow taller." This hypothesis can then be tested through experiments where different groups of plants are exposed to different amounts of sunlight and their growth is measured and compared.
Formulating a hypothesis is an important step in the scientific method as it helps guide the design of experiments and provides a framework for interpreting the results.