IPC.1.H

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The student is expected to distinguish between scientific hypotheses, theories, and laws.
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Knowledge and Skills Statement

Scientific and engineering practices. The student, for at least 40% of instructional time, asks questions, identifies problems, and plans and safely conducts classroom, laboratory, and field investigations to answer questions, explain phenomena, or design solutions using appropriate tools and models.

proposed explanation which is testable and made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation; a proposed explanation for a phenomenon

a prediction of what happens when a certain set of conditions are met; consistent and supported by copious evidence

detectable events that are observed through the senses or technology; can be explained through scientific laws, ideas, principles, and theories

well established and highly reliable explanation which is based on natural and physical phenomena and is capable of being tested by multiple independent researchers; may be subject to change as new areas of science and new technologies are developed; explain why phenomena occur

Research

Maeng, Jennifer L. and Randy L. Bell. “Theories, Laws, and Hypotheses: Teaching Overarching Science Concepts through Gas Laws and Kinetic Molecular Theory.” The Science Teacher 80 (2013): 38. https://www.visionlearning.com/en/library/Process-of-Science/49/Theories-Hypotheses-and-Laws/177.

Summary:  This article describes a lesson that challenges high school chemistry students' prior understanding of theories, laws, and hypotheses in the context of learning about gas laws and kinetic molecular theory (KMT).