Final answer:
The goal of science that is most closely associated with answering the question of 'why' something happens is understanding and prediction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The goal of science that is most closely associated with answering the question of 'why' something happens is c. understanding and prediction. Scientists seek to understand the world and the way it operates by developing hypotheses and conducting experiments to gain knowledge in the form of testable explanations. The better an hypothesis is at making predictions, the more useful it is, and the more likely it is to be correct.