Final answer:
The hypothesis that exercise improves the ability to remember lists of words is scientific because it posits a specific, testable prediction that can be empirically evaluated through experimentation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The hypothesis that "exercise improves the ability to remember lists of words" is a scientific one because it makes a specific, testable prediction. For a hypothesis to be termed a scientific hypothesis, it must be testable and falsifiable, meaning that it can be supported or refuted through carefully crafted experimentation or observation. The hypothesis about the impact of exercise on memory can be tested by conducting experiments where one group of subjects exercises before trying to remember a list of words while a control group does not exercise. The results of such an experiment could either support or contradict the hypothesis, but cannot conclusively prove it to be true because future experiments may yield different results.
A hypothesis is not considered scientific if it cannot be tested or if it is not falsifiable. An unfalsifiable hypothesis is like saying "Botticelli's Birth of Venus is beautiful" since there is no experiment that could disprove such a subjective statement. Thus, consistent with the scientific method, the emphasis is on the capability to test and potentially disprove the hypothesis through empirical evidence, not on proving it to be true once and for all.