A hypothesis is an explanation for observations. A theory is an explanation for what has been shown many times.

In scientific reasoning, a hypothesis is an assumption made before any research has been completed for the sake of testing. A theory on the other hand is a principle set to explain phenomena already supported by data. And that’s where we see the difference between a hypothesis and a theory.

A) Theories are proposed to test scientific hypotheses. A theory is an explanation for a very general phenomenon or observation; hypotheses treat more specific observations.

Scientific theories are testable and make falsifiable predictions. They describe the causes of a particular natural phenomenon and are used to explain and predict aspects of the physical universe or specific areas of inquiry (for example, electricity, chemistry, and astronomy).

A hypothesis is an idea or proposition that can be tested by observations or experiments, about the natural world. In order to be considered scientific, hypotheses are subject to scientific evaluation and must be falsifiable, which means that they are worded in such a way that they can be proven to be incorrect.

In everyday use, the word “theory” often means an untested hunch, or a guess without supporting evidence. But for scientists, a theory has nearly the opposite meaning. A theory not only explains known facts; it also allows scientists to make predictions of what they should observe if a theory is true.

Hypotheses are often but not always derived from theories. So a hypothesis is often a prediction based on a theory but some hypotheses are a-theoretical and only after a set of observations have been made, is a theory developed. This is because theories are broad in nature and they explain larger bodies of data.

Theories are more comprehensive than hypotheses. Theories must be testable; hypotheses do not need to be testable. Hypotheses are educated guesses, and theories are tentative explanations. Hypotheses are derived from experimentation, whereas theories are derived from observation.

The main requirement for a scientific hypothesis is that it must be testable. We can only ask a question and make a hypothesis that we can actually investigate and test. For example, we can set up an investigation in which we water plants with tap water and rainwater.

In scientific reasoning, a hypothesis is an assumption made before any research has been completed for the sake of testing. A theory on the other hand is a principle set to explain phenomena already supported by data. Theories will pull together experimental results to provide full explanations such as “The Big Bang Theory.”.

Constructing Theories. In time,a confirmed hypothesis may become part of a theory or may grow to become a theory itself.

Examples of Theory and Hypothesis. “No amount of experimentation can ever prove me right; a single experiment can prove me wrong.” Theory: Einstein’s theory of relativity is a theory because

The hypothesis is based on possibility and suggestion, whereas the theory is based on the evidence, supportive results and the repeated testing. The hypothesis is based on very limited data while the theory is based on the wide set of data which is repeatedly tested.