Question

question 3 (1 point)
(01.01 lc)
which statement best describes a characteristic of a scientific theory?
a supported by mathematics to explain a principle
b a readily demonstrable fact that cannot be disproven
c an educated guess that is yet to be tested
d supported by a body of evidence

Explanation:

• A scientific theory is not just an educated guess (that's a hypothesis, so option c is wrong).
• While some theories may use mathematics, it's not the defining characteristic (so option a is wrong).
• Scientific facts are different from theories. Facts are observations, theories explain those facts. Also, in science, nothing is "absolutely cannot be disproven" in an absolute sense as new evidence can emerge. So option b is wrong.
• A scientific theory is supported by a large body of evidence from multiple sources and experiments.

Answer:

d. Supported by a body of evidence