Bạn đang xem: Toefl readings 33
"The way that scientists use the word "theory" is a little different than how it is commonly used in the lay public," said Jaime Tanner, a professor of biology at Emerson College in Boston. "Most people use the word "theory" lớn mean an idea or hunch that someone has, but in science the word "theory" refers to the way that we interpret facts."
Related: 5 sci-fi concepts that are possible (in theory)
The process of becoming a scientific theory
Every scientific theory relies on the scientific method. A scientist may make an observation và devise a hypothesis to lớn explain that observation, then design an experiment to kiểm tra that hypothesis. If the hypothesis is shown to lớn be incorrect, the scientist will develop a new hypothesis và begin the process again. If the hypothesis is supported by the results of the experiment, it will go on to lớn be tested again. If the hypothesis isn"t disproven or surpassed by a better explanation, the scientist may incorporate it into a larger theory that helps khổng lồ explain the observed phenomenon và relates it to other phenomena, according khổng lồ the Field Museum.
A scientific theory is not the end result of the scientific method; theories can be proven or rejected, just lượt thích hypotheses. And theories are continually improved or modified as more information is gathered, so that the accuracy of the prediction becomes greater over time.
Theories are foundations for furthering scientific knowledge and for putting the information gathered to practical use. Scientists use theories lớn develop inventions or find a cure for a disease.
Furthermore, a scientific theory is the framework for observations and facts, Tanner said. Theories may change, or the way that they are interpreted may change, but the facts themselves don"t change. Tanner likens theories to lớn a basket in which scientists keep facts & observations that they find. The shape of that basket may change as the scientists learn more và include more facts. "For example, we have ample evidence of traits in populations becoming more or less common over time (evolution), so evolution is a fact, but the overarching theories about evolution, the way that we think all of the facts go together might change as new observations of evolution are made," Tanner told Live Science.
Characteristics of a good theory
The University of California, Berkeley, defines a theory as "a broad, natural explanation for a wide range of phenomena. Theories are concise, coherent, systematic, predictive, và broadly applicable, often integrating and generalizing many hypotheses."
According khổng lồ Columbia University emeritus professor of philosophy Philip Kitcher, a good scientific theory has three characteristics. First, it has unity, which means it consists of a limited number of problem-solving strategies that can be applied khổng lồ a wide range of scientific circumstances. Second, a good scientific theory leads to new questions and new areas of research. This means that a theory doesn"t need to explain everything in order khổng lồ be useful. And finally, a good theory is formed from a number of hypotheses that can be tested independently from the theory itself.
The difference between theories, facts and laws
Any scientific theory must be based on a careful và rational examination of the facts. Facts và theories are two different things. In the scientific method, there is a clear distinction between facts, which can be observed and/or measured, & theories, which are scientists" explanations và interpretations of the facts.
Some think that theories become laws, but theories & laws have separate and distinct roles in the scientific method. A law is a mô tả tìm kiếm of an observed phenomenon in the natural world that holds true every time it is tested. It doesn"t explain why something is true; it just states that it is true. A theory, on the other hand, explains observations that are gathered during the scientific process. So, while law and theory are part of the scientific process, they are two different aspects, according to lớn the National Center for Science Education.
A good example of the difference between a theory & a law is the case of Gregor Mendel. In his research, Mendel discovered that two separate genetic traits would appear independently of each other in different offspring. "Yet, Mendel knew nothing of DNA or chromosomes. It wasn"t until a century later that scientists discovered DNA và chromosomes — the biochemical explanation of Mendel"s laws," said Peter Coppinger, an associate professor of biology và biomedical engineering at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. "It was only then that scientists, such as T.H. Morgan working with fruit flies, explained the Law of Independent Assortment using the theory of chromosomal inheritance. Still today, this is the universally accepted explanation
Additional resources
Bibliography
Kenneth Angielczyk, "What bởi We Mean by "Theory" in Science?" Field Museum, March 10, 2017. Https://www.fieldmuseum.org/blog/what-do-we-mean-theory-science
University of California, Berkeley, "Science at multiple levels." https://undsci.berkeley.edu/article/0_0_0/howscienceworks_19
Philip Kitcher, "Abusing Science: The Case Against Creationism," MIT Press, 1982.
National Center for Science Education, "Definitions of Fact, Theory, & Law in Scientific Work," March 16, năm 2016 https://ncse.ngo/definitions-fact-theory-and-law-scientific-work
chọn lớp toàn bộ Mẫu giáo Lớp 1 Lớp 2 Lớp 3 Lớp 4 Lớp 5 Lớp 6 Lớp 7 Lớp 8 Lớp 9 Lớp 10 Lớp 11 Lớp 12 ĐH - CĐ
chọn môn toàn bộ Toán đồ vật lý Hóa học sinh học Ngữ văn giờ anh lịch sử Địa lý Tin học công nghệ Giáo dục công dân Âm nhạc thẩm mỹ Tiếng anh thí điểm lịch sử dân tộc và Địa lý thể thao Khoa học tự nhiên và thoải mái và làng hội Đạo đức thủ công bằng tay Quốc phòng bình an Tiếng việt Khoa học tự nhiên và thoải mái
toàn bộ Toán thiết bị lý Hóa học viên học Ngữ văn tiếng anh lịch sử Địa lý Tin học technology Giáo dục công dân Âm nhạc thẩm mỹ Tiếng anh thí điểm lịch sử dân tộc và Địa lý thể dục Khoa học thoải mái và tự nhiên và buôn bản hội Đạo đức thủ công Quốc phòng an ninh Tiếng việt Khoa học thoải mái và tự nhiên
Read the following passage và mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet lớn indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions
In Science, a theory is a reasonable explanation of observed events that arerelated. A theory often involves an imaginary model that helps scientists picture the way an observed event could be produced. A good example ofthisis found in the kinetic molecular theory, in which gases are pictured as being made up of many small particles that are in constant motion.
A useful theory, in addition lớn explaining past observation, helps lớn predict events that have not as yet been observed. After a theory has been publicized, scientists kiến thiết experiments to test the theory. If observations confirm the scientists" predictions, the theory issupported. If observations bởi not confirm the predictions, the scientists must search further. There may be a fault in the experiment, or the theory may have to be revised or rejected.
Science involves imagination & creative thinking as well as collecting information & performing experiments. Facts by themselves are not science. As the mathematician Jules Henri Poincare said: "Science is built with facts just as a house is built withbricks, but a collection of facts cannot be called science any more than a pile ofbrickscan be called a house."
Most scientists start an investigation by finding out what other scientists have learned about a particular problem. After known facts have been gathered, the scientist comes to the part of the investigation that requires considerable imagination. Possible solutions khổng lồ the problem are formulated. These possible solutions are called hypotheses.In a way, any hyphthesis is a leap into the unknown.It extends the scientist"s thinking beyond the known facts. The scientist plans experiments, performs calculations, & makes observations to thử nghiệm hypotheses. For without hypotheses, further investigation lacks purpose & direction. When hypotheses are confirmed, they are incorporated into theories.
Read the following passage và mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to lớn indicate the correct answer khổng lồ each of the following questions
In Science, a theory is a reasonable explanation of observed events that arerelated. A theory often involves an imaginary model that helps scientists picture the way an observed sự kiện could be produced. A good example ofthisis found in the kinetic molecular theory, in which gases are pictured as being made up of many small particles that are in constant motion.
A useful theory, in addition to explaining past observation, helps to lớn predict events that have not as yet been observed. After a theory has been publicized, scientists kiến thiết experiments to thử nghiệm the theory. If observations confirm the scientists" predictions, the theory issupported. If observations vị not confirm the predictions, the scientists must tìm kiếm further. There may be a fault in the experiment, or the theory may have to be revised or rejected.
Science involves imagination & creative thinking as well as collecting information và performing experiments. Facts by themselves are not science. As the mathematician Jules Henri Poincare said: "Science is built with facts just as a house is built withbricks, but a collection of facts cannot be called science any more than a pile ofbrickscan be called a house."
Most scientists start an investigation by finding out what other scientists have learned about a particular problem. After known facts have been gathered, the scientist comes lớn the part of the investigation that requires considerable imagination. Possible solutions khổng lồ the problem are formulated. These possible solutions are called hypotheses.
Xem thêm: Thăm nữ anh hùng võ thị sáu sinh năm bao nhiêu, thăm nữ anh hùng võ thị sáu từ đất đỏ đến côn đảo
In a way, any hyphthesis is a leap into the unknown.It extends the scientist"s thinking beyond the known facts. The scientist plans experiments, performs calculations, and makes observations to chạy thử hypotheses. For without hypotheses, further investigation lacks purpose & direction. When hypotheses are confirmed, they are incorporated into theories.