Changes

After the data are analyzed and written down, the scientist checks the results against the hypothesis; if the results have proven the hypothesis to be wrong, then it must be discarded.  Even if the hypothesis is not correct, conclusions can still be made and significant knowledge gained.  If the hypothesis is indicated to be correct, then the results are published and sent to other scientists within the field in question.

After the data are analyzed and written down, the scientist checks the results against the hypothesis; if the results have proven the hypothesis to be wrong, then it must be discarded.  Even if the hypothesis is not correct, conclusions can still be made and significant knowledge gained.  If the hypothesis is indicated to be correct, then the results are published and sent to other scientists within the field in question.

Scientists must be able to take such published data and repeat the experiment.  This not only confirms the validity of the original hypothesis, but advances it to the level of a “theory”, which in science means…

Scientists must be able to take such published data and repeat the experiment.  This not only confirms the validity of the original hypothesis, but advances it to the level of a “theory”, which in science means an interpretation or explanation of a hypothesis that is well-supported by evidence which is tested and testable.  A theory can also be falsified by evidence as well.  The level of a “fact” or “law” is simply that which is empirical, and cannot be proven wrong.

The level of a “fact” or “law” is simply that which is empirical, and cannot be proven wrong.

A classic example of the Scientific Method being used stemmed from a simple bet.  In 1872 a [[railway|railroad]] baron named [[Leland Stanford]] made a wager that a [[horse|horse’s]] hooves do not touch the ground at some point in a [[gallop]]. To test the hypothesis, photographer [[Eadweard Muybridge]] [http://americanhistory.si.edu/muybridge/index.htm] was hired; he installed a series of trip wires which were rigged from a long wall about two inches from the ground, each one tied to a [[camera|camera’s]] shutter facing the wall; the experiment called for the horse to run past the wall, tripping the wires and getting a photo at each point.  The results were factual and conclusive: a horse at a running gallop does have all four hooves off the ground.

A classic example of the Scientific Method being used stemmed from a simple bet.  In 1872 a [[railway|railroad]] baron named [[Leland Stanford]] made a wager that a [[horse|horse’s]] hooves do not touch the ground at some point in a [[gallop]]. To test the hypothesis, photographer [[Eadweard Muybridge]] [http://americanhistory.si.edu/muybridge/index.htm] was hired; he installed a series of trip wires which were rigged from a long wall about two inches from the ground, each one tied to a [[camera|camera’s]] shutter facing the wall; the experiment called for the horse to run past the wall, tripping the wires and getting a photo at each point.  The results were factual and conclusive: a horse at a running gallop does have all four hooves off the ground.