A Scientific Theory Is Accepted as the Best Description of a Certain

question 198

Multiple Choice

A scientific theory is accepted as the best description of a certain phenomenon if it

• A) can be independently and repeatedly checked by observation.
• B) has been developed by a scientist with a solid reputation, such as Albert Einstein or Sir Isaac Newton.
• C) has obtained the stamp of approval of an internationally renowned scientific body, such as the Royal Society of London or the International Astronomical Union.
• D) accounts for a full range of historical observations, even though recent observations cast doubt on it.

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Definitions:

Significance Level

The probability threshold below which the null hypothesis is rejected in a statistical test, indicating the results are statistically significant.

Chi-squared Goodness-of-fit Test

A statistical test to determine if observed data matches the expected distribution of data across different categories.

Chi-squared Distribution

A statistical distribution describing the distribution of the sum of squared independent, standard normal variables, often used in hypothesis testing.

Non-negative

A term used to describe numbers that are either positive or zero, indicating values that are not less than zero.