a Hypothesis After scientists develop a question, the next step is to try to answer this question by proposing an explanation. A hypothesis is a proposed explanation for an event, which can be tested. Consider the scenario with your flashlight. An appropriate question regarding this dilemma is "Is my flashlight not working because the batteries are dead?" Thus, a hypothesis that attempts to answer this question would be "My flashlight is not working because the batteries are dead." This statement suggests a reason your flashlight isn't working-faulty batteries. For a hypothesis to be considered useful, it must be both testable and falsifiable. It must be possible that the results obtained do not support the hypothesis. If this is not the case, then the hypothesis is not suitable since it is not falsifiable. In our flashlight example, we could design an experiment where we compare the ability of the old batteries (the one originally in the flashlight) and some new ones. If the flashlight does not work with the old batteries or the new ones, then the hypothesis can be proven false. Please bear in mind, however, even though a hypothesis can be falsified, it can never be proven true. The data collected from one single experiment can only support that hypothesis. In the flashlight and battery experiment, if we observed that the new batteries caused the flashlight to work but the old batteries did not, this result does not prove that the flashlight was not working because of faulty batteries. Other factors need to be excluded before we can confirm this. For example, there is the possibility that the old batteries were not properly placed in the flashlight which caused it not to work. Thus, the findings with the new battery only supports our hypothesis until more evidence is obtained (by conducting more experiments), in the future, to further confirm this finding or to falsify our hypothesis. It is also important to remember that even though a hypothesis might be supported today based on the testing methods we possess currently; this hypothesis may be modified with the development of new experimental techniques, which can provide us with more understanding of a phenomenon in the future. For example, scientists were previously limited in their understanding of the components of the cell membrane. However, with the advent of the electron microscope, our understanding of the membrane structure has increased significantly. Thus, earlier hypotheses related to this structure have been falsified or modified to accommodate new scientific findings. This is what makes the process of scientific inquiry dynamic. 2. Consider the following questions and write a proposed explanation (a hypothesis) for each question. Note the hypothesis should be testable and falsifiable. a. Does fortified bird food affect the ability of pigeons to reproduce? b. Does vitamin C reduce the appearance of wrinkles in women over 40 years? c. Does taking a Kaplan course affect the SAT scores of high school students?