Final answer:
A hypothesis is considered supported when the empirical data align with its predictions, although this does not prove it to be conclusively true, as future evidence might challenge it. Over time, if a hypothesis is consistently supported, it may become a scientific theory.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the data from an empirical study are consistent with a hypothesis, we say that the hypothesis is supported. This means that the actual observations or data collected through experimentation or observation match the expectations set forth by the hypothesis. It is important to note that although the hypothesis is supported, this does not equate to the hypothesis being conclusively true or a law. Scientific hypothesis testing fundamentally relies on the ability to support or refute a hypothesis through empirical evidence.
A well-executed experiment that yields results consonant with the hypothesis adds to the credibility of the hypothesis. However, science acknowledges that future experiments may provide contradictory evidence. Thus, even when a hypothesis is supported by current evidence, it remains tentative and open to revision or rejection should new, inconsistent evidence emerge. The accumulation of substantial experimental evidence that aligns with the hypothesis can result in the hypothesis being considered more reliable and possibly evolving into a scientific theory.