Introducing
Your new presentation assistant.
Refine, enhance, and tailor your content, source relevant images, and edit visuals quicker than ever before.
Trending searches
Theories, Hypothesis & Laws
15
Theories ~ Hypothesis ~ Laws
By: Camryn Shockley
Hypothesis
Hypothesis
- A prediction/educated guess on why things work or how things happen
- Based on: observations from research and/or existing scientific knowledge
Starting Point
A hypothesis helps researchers to do 2 things for the study:
- predict outcomes
- define the parameters
Purpose
WHAT IS...
Scientific Theory?
- An explanation for why things work or how things happen
- Based on: large amounts of data/observations of the real world, and something that can be tested!
- NOT a hunch or a guess
Theories
Evolution by Natural Selection
-Charles Darwin
Closer
Look
-a theory can be broad an encompass many concepts/ideas
Topics 1-9 (Carpi & Egger, 2009)
Carolus Linnaeus
- Fixity of Species
- Grouped species together based on physical similarities
1
Theories can be more specific and challenge other theories
George Louis
& James Hutton
- Developed theories on determining the age of the Earth
2
Hutton
- evidence based on rock formations and geological studies
- Earth: hundreds of millions of years old
Louis
- evidence based on Bible events & temperature of Earth's core
- Earth: 70,000 years old
Georges Cuvier
- Studied fossils in Paris
- Proved extinction based on elephant fossils that turned out to be mammoths from thousands of years prior
3
Theory of extinction proved true due to logical findings in the similarity of elephants and mammoths.
Jean Baptiste Lamarck
- believed organisms could mutate/change over time and that change would be passed to their offspring
4
WRONG
Theories must be tested and provide great evidence before they can be considered well-established & fundamental
William Smith
5
- Rock Layers = Evolution
- geologist who studied the fossils within rock layers
- Hypothesis: certain groups of animals followed each other in a specific sequence, as seen within earth's rock layers over time
Charles Darwin
6
- studied the species of the mockingbird, tortoise and finch on the Galapagos Islands and found subtle differences within these species that allowed them to adapt to the island environment
- His studies led to his theory that organisms change "by means of natural selection" (Carpi, Egger, 2009)
Mendel & Dobzhansky
Gregor Mendel
- studied the basics of DNA strains and described which characteristics can be passed down to offspring
7
Theodosius Dobzhansky
- explained genes and demonstrated that mutation in genes is when change occurs
Dr. Richard Lenski
- Developed a test to replicate evolution & natural selection in a lab setting
8
Confirmed the prediction of the theory of evolution by natural selection which states that the monumental mutations that occur within a group are shared by all descendants in that group and are more rare than random mutations
Stephen Jay Gould & Niles Eldredge
Came up with the idea of punctuation equilibrium- evolution is basically long periods of stability with the occasional dramatic change
9
This idea provides an understanding of timing in evolution without discrediting or challenging the concept of natural selection
WHAT IS...
Scientific Law?
Laws
- A description of the observed phenomenon that is being researched/studied
- Comes from theories but does NOT exist due solely to abundance of data
As you can see, there are many concepts that go into developing well-established theories, such as this example of evolution & natural selection
Summary
It is important to note that theories may be revised and edited, however they are not questionable or unpredictable
(Carpi & Egger, 2009)
Anthony Carpi, Ph.D., Anne E. Egger, Ph.D. “Theories, Hypotheses, and Laws” Visionlearning Vol. POS-2 (9), 2009.