Final answer:
A valid hypothesis in science must be both testable and falsifiable. An example of a falsifiable hypothesis is that all sheep are black, which can be tested by observing sheep and potentially falsified by seeing a white sheep. Hypotheses are supported or rejected through experimentation, showing the adaptive nature of scientific knowledge.
Step-by-step explanation:
To understand the process of hypothesis testing, it is essential to recognize that a valid hypothesis must be both testable and falsifiable. Falsifiability implies that it is possible to conceive an experiment or observation that could disprove the hypothesis if it is indeed false. For example, considering the hypothesis "All sheep are black," which is based on observations on an island with only black sheep, the hypothesis is both testable and falsifiable because observing just one white sheep on the mainland would falsify it. In science, hypotheses are never proven but are supported or rejected based on experimental evidence. An unsuccessful attempt to falsify a hypothesis lends support to it, but future experiments might still refute it, demonstrating the self-correcting nature of scientific inquiry.
A hypothesis must be grounded in scientific knowledge and be logical. It often takes the form of a prediction, such as, "If the air conditioning is turned on, the classroom will become cooler." This demonstrates the testability and potential falsifiability of the hypothesis—conditions that are observable and measurable. Notably, science's openness to refutation of hypotheses is what differentiates it from non-sciences, such as assertions of the supernatural, which are neither testable nor falsifiable.