Final answer:
A hypothesis is a tentative and testable explanation for observations that may become a theory if widely confirmed; it differs from a law which summarizes known observations.
Step-by-step explanation:
An educated guess about the future outcome of an experiment or observation, which may be framed as a detailed question or statement, is known as a hypothesis. A hypothesis is a tentative explanation for scientific observations that can be tested through further research such as experimentation or calculation. For example, if someone begins to sneeze when they enter a room and are informed that there is a cat present, they might hypothesize that they are allergic to cats. This hypothesis can then be tested with further observations and possibly allergy tests. If a hypothesis successfully explains a broad range of observations, it may evolve into a scientific theory, which is a well-substantiated, comprehensive, and testable explanation. Additionally, scientific laws summarize experimental observations and describe or predict facets of the natural world.