What is a hypothesis, and how does it contrast with a theory?

A hypothesis is a testable statement or explanation that is proposed to answer a scientific question or problem. It is an educated guess that is based on existing knowledge and observations, and it is used to guide further investigation and experimentation.

A theory, on the other hand, is a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world that has been repeatedly confirmed through observation and experimentation. A theory is a more complex and comprehensive explanation than a hypothesis, and it incorporates a large body of empirical evidence and has stood up to rigorous testing.

The main difference between a hypothesis and a theory is the level of evidence supporting each. A hypothesis is an idea that has yet to be fully tested or supported, while a theory is a well-established explanation that has been repeatedly tested and confirmed by multiple sources and methods.

In science, a hypothesis is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon. For a hypothesis to be a scientific hypothesis, the scientific method requires that one can test it. Scientists generally base scientific hypotheses on previous observations that cannot satisfactorily be explained with the available scientific theories. Even though the words "hypothesis" and "theory" are often used synonymously, a scientific hypothesis is not the same as a scientific theory. A working hypothesis is a provisionally accepted hypothesis proposed for further research, in a process beginning with an educated guess or thought.

A scientific theory is a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world, based on a body of facts that have been repeatedly confirmed through observation and experiment. Such fact-supported theories are not "guesses" but reliable accounts of the real world. The theory of biological evolution is more than "just a theory." It is as factual an explanation of the universe as the atomic theory of matter or the germ theory of disease. Our understanding of gravity is still a work in progress. But the phenomenon of gravity, like evolution, is an accepted fact.

In short, a hypothesis is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon, while a theory is a well-substantiated explanation for a phenomenon that has been repeatedly confirmed through observation and experiment.