Which of the Following Statements Best Distinguishes Hypotheses from Theories

Question

Which of the following statements best distinguishes hypotheses from theories in science?
A)Theories are hypotheses that have been proved.
B)Hypotheses are guesses; theories are correct answers.
C)Hypotheses usually are relatively narrow in scope; theories have broad explanatory power.
D)Hypotheses and theories are essentially the same thing.
E)Theories are proved true; hypotheses are often falsified.

Accepted Answer

Hypotheses are specific and testable predictions about a phenomenon, while theories are well-supported explanations that have broad explanatory power and have withstood extensive testing. Hypotheses are usually formulated to test or support a theory, and as such, are often narrower in scope.