Final answer:
A scientific hypothesis must be potentially tested, as it requires experimental or observational verification to be supported or refuted. It relies on the principle of falsifiability to validate predictions and contribute to scientific knowledge.
Step-by-step explanation:
A scientific hypothesis must be potentially tested. It must lead to predictions that can be clearly determined to be correct or incorrect.
When considering the nature of a scientific hypothesis, it is paramount to understand that a hypothesis is a suggested explanation that can be investigated through experimentation or observation. The process of testing the hypothesis is essential, as it must be falsifiable, meaning that there should be a potential for the hypothesis to be disproven by empirical evidence. While a hypothesis can be supported by experimental results, it is never absolutely proven; rather, it is continually evaluated against new data.
A testable hypothesis allows for predictions to be made, and if those predictions can be confirmed through experiments, the hypothesis gains credibility. Conversely, if the predictions are invalidated, the hypothesis must be discarded or modified. The core principle of scientific inquiry is that a hypothesis must be both testable and falsifiable to contribute to the understanding of the natural world.