Chapter 1, Problem 1QRD

To determine

The factor that is required for a hypothesis to rise to the status of a theory.

Answer to Problem 1QRD

For a hypothesis to rise to the status of a theory, it should survive repeated challenges and must be supported by accumulating favorable evidence.

Explanation of Solution

Both physical and historical geologists use the same procedures used by scientists in other disciplines. These procedures are referred as scientific method and it is a systematic approach to reveal the answers for questions, solutions to problems, and provide evidence to prove or disprove ideas and beliefs.

A scientific investigation begins often with a question and it proceeds to data collection. Later, it developed into a hypothesis that fits all the data and is likely to account for observations in the future as well as the present. Later, a hypothesis is tested and examined critically by other scientists. As a result, it can be confirmed, modified, or subsequently discarded. A hypothesis that persists repeated challenges and is supported by accumulating favorable evidence can be elevated as a theory.