1.3 Scientific Theory
1.3 Scientific Theory
- Define scientific theory.
- Compare "theory" to "scientific theory."
- Describe important theories of physical science.
- Relate the law of parsimony to scientific theories.
This photo shows a girl and her parents. They are having a discussion. As you can see, the girl is rolling her eyes.
What do you think her parents may have said that caused this reaction? Could it be they have just grounded her
for some reason? That’s certainly one possibility, but without any other information to go on, it’s “just a theory.” In
other words, it’s just a hunch or a guess. Theories are very important in science, but in science a theory is never a
hunch or a guess. It is much more than that.
Not “Just a Theory”
The termtheoryis used differently in science than it is used in everyday language. Ascientific theoryis a broad
explanation that is widely accepted because it is supported by a great deal of evidence. Because it is so well
supported, a scientific theory has a very good chance of being a correct explanation for events in nature. Because it
is a broad explanation, it can explain many observations and pieces of evidence. In other words, it can help connect
and make sense of many phenomena in the natural world.