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Which of the following is true about a scientific hypothesis?

A. The hypothesis must be testable.
B. The hypothesis must form a scientific theory.
C. The hypothesis must follow the scientific method.
D. The hypothesis must predict the outcome of the experiment.

User Pepyakin
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Final answer:

A correct scientific hypothesis must be testable. It is an educated guess that can be supported or refuted through scientific experiments, and should be based on scientific knowledge, logically formulated, and falsifiable.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct statement regarding a scientific hypothesis is that the hypothesis must be testable. A scientific hypothesis is an educated guess or a proposed explanation for an observation that can be supported or refuted through experimentation or observation. For a hypothesis to be scientific, it must be based on scientific knowledge, logical, and typically is framed in a way that is falsifiable. This means that the hypothesis can be subjected to testing that either supports or disproves it. By conducting experiments, if a hypothesis is consistently not disproven, it gains traction as a plausible explanation, though it is never absolutely proven since future evidence or experiments may provide new insights or contradictions.

In the context of the options provided, while a hypothesis can predict the outcome of an experiment, it does not have to form a scientific theory immediately, nor does it have to follow the entire scientific method or apply to all situations in the universe. It is the ability to be tested through scientific methods that is most important. Over time, repeated experimentation and evidence collection may lead to the formation of a scientific theory, but this is an extensive process that goes beyond the initial hypothesis stage.

User Layman
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