Final answer:
Scientific statements can be categorized as hypotheses, laws, or theories based on their definitions. As such, 'Objects fall because of gravity' is a law, 'If the temperature increases, the pressure will decrease' is a hypothesis, 'The cell is the basic unit of living organisms' is a theory, and 'Water boils at 100 °C at sea level' is another law.
Step-by-step explanation:
When identifying statements as hypotheses, laws, or theories, it's important to understand the definitions of these terms within the scientific context:
- A hypothesis is a tentative explanation for an observation or a scientific problem that can be tested by further investigation.
- A law describes a consistently observed phenomenon or a statement of a relationship that seems to be without exception. It predicts what happens but does not explain why.
- A theory is a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world that is acquired through the scientific method and repeatedly tested and confirmed through observation and experimentation.
Therefore, we can classify the statements as follows:
- Objects fall because of gravity. - Law: This is a statement summarizing the consistently observed effect of gravity on objects, representing a law.
- If the temperature increases, the pressure will decrease. - Hypothesis: This seems like a tentative explanation predicting the behavior of pressure in response to temperature changes, implying it's a hypothesis.
- The cell is the basic unit of living organisms. - Theory: This represents the cell theory, which is a well-substantiated explanation about the structure of living organisms.
- Water boils at 100 °C at sea level. - Law: This is a statement that describes a consistently observed phenomenon regarding the boiling point of water under specified conditions.