Evolution of Scientific Theory: From Hypothesis to Law

1. CH107 College Chemistry Prologue: Scientific Method

2. Prologue: Scientific Method • First Steps: Formation of a hypothesis • Starts with observations, discoveries or accumulation of data • Hypothesis – a tentative explanation of observations or data

3. Prologue: Scientific Method • Next steps: evolution of a theory • Further data or observations from experiments in support of hypothesis lead to a theory • Theory – a well-established hypothesis

4. Prologue: Scientific Method • Later steps: testing the theory • If no exceptions to the theory are found (it predicts the results of all future experiments), it is converted to a law • Law – a concise statement of fact • If exceptions occur, the theory must be modified or replaced

6. Ptolemy– Geocentric hypothesis Copernicus – Heliocentric hypothesis Brahe – Useful data Kepler – Planetary motion theory Galileo – More data and ideas Newton – Laws of gravitation