Hypothetical Definition and 17 Discussions

A hypothesis (plural hypotheses) is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon. For a hypothesis to be a scientific hypothesis, the scientific method requires that one can test it. Scientists generally base scientific hypotheses on previous observations that cannot satisfactorily be explained with the available scientific theories. Even though the words "hypothesis" and "theory" are often used synonymously, a scientific hypothesis is not the same as a scientific theory. A working hypothesis is a provisionally accepted hypothesis proposed for further research, in a process beginning with an educated guess or thought.A different meaning of the term hypothesis is used in formal logic, to denote the antecedent of a proposition; thus in the proposition "If P, then Q", P denotes the hypothesis (or antecedent); Q can be called a consequent. P is the assumption in a (possibly counterfactual) What If question.
The adjective hypothetical, meaning "having the nature of a hypothesis", or "being assumed to exist as an immediate consequence of a hypothesis", can refer to any of these meanings of the term "hypothesis".

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  1. M

    Is there a way to use the hydrogen in the human body?

    I recently read that there is enough hydrogen in the human body to lift 195 lbs off the ground. I know this sounds super-silly but if we ever develop nanites; could they manipulate the hydrogen and allow us to float?
  2. M

    B Would the Giant Arc be visible from a hypothetical exoplanet?

    I recently watched History of the Universe and they talked about the Giant Arc, a large scale structure that spans 3.3 billion light years long, exceeding the hypothetical limit of 1.2 billion. The Arc was discovered last year. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Giant_Arc They said if the Giant...
  3. S

    Michio Kaku and Max Tegmark....?

    Did Max Tegmark talk about his Mathematical Universe hypothesis at this event (https://www.zimbio.com/photos/Brian+Cox/Michio+Kaku/rAcvFyE88Ul/World+Science+Festival)? And if that's the case, what was the opinion of Michio Kaku?
  4. K

    I Information traveling faster than light? (thought experiment)

    Let us consider a hypothetical scenario, where we are able to translate any mass at a constant speed of 10m/s w.r.t to a given frame of reference. For simplicity, we are going to assume that the object is at rest initially. Case 1 - Now, consider 2 points A and B at a distance of 10m, and our...
  5. mahonskey

    I Hypothetical Eclipse Calculation

    Hypothetical: Approximately how far from Earth would a star the size of the sun have to be for an object the size of a quantum particle to cause a total eclipse of that star when orbiting the Earth at a distance equal to that of Earth to the center fro the moon?
    • mahonskey
    • Thread
    • distance eclipse hypothetical math and physics
    • Replies: 8
    • Forum: Cosmology
  6. mahonskey

    B Quantum total eclipse of the sun?

    This might be total nonsense, but the thought popped into my head while I was trying to get to sleep, so I thought I see if I could find any advanced help with the following hypothetical: If light were instantaneous, how far from Earth would the sun have to be to cause a quark orbiting in place...
    • mahonskey
    • Thread
    • hypothetical math and physics theoretical
    • Replies: 3
    • Forum: Cosmology
  7. Miles Behind

    Simple atmospheric question re: Mars

    Assuming that both the Earth and Mars's atmospheric pressure follows an exponential curve, how many kilometers deep would the average bore-hole on Mars need to be in order to arrive at a depth where the atmospheric pressure was 0.35 bar or approximately 5 psi? What about 0.7 bar?
  8. J

    Acceleration and gravity

    I'd like to ask about a hypothetical situation. A human, wearing a jetpack, for example, accelerates forward with 200,000 m/s^2 and therefore, experiencing extreme g-force of roughly 20,408 g. If there will be a hypothetical device that will be able to redirect the gravity force (g) to elswhere...
    • Jane
    • Thread
    • acceleration gravity hypothetical
    • Replies: 33
    • Forum: Mechanics
  9. S

    I How would weather differ on a planet with a longer day?

    Hypothetical question that came up in World Building stack exchange. The question asked for what the longest reasonable day length would be. I thought that a 100 hour day: * Afternoons in what are now hot deserts would be uninhabitable. * Frost traps in more polar climates would be...
  10. L

    Range of Earth's year within habitable zone?

    Hi all, So the (hypothetical) question I have is about the range of the Earth's length of orbit (number of days) within the Sun's habitable zone which could sustain human life. I.e. what would the length of the shortest 'habitable' year be, and the longest (in days)? What would our living...
  11. S

    Is the future undetermined or simply undeterminable?

    I'm not entirely sure how to clarify this question, so instead I'll pose another one that should serve the same purpose. If, hypothetically, someone in the future devised a way to travel back in time (which to my understanding has never been shown to violate any laws of physics) after...
  12. P

    What would happen? Hypothetical situation.

    Say for instance me and another person were 1 light hour away from each other. Now at my position I am subjected to a much greater gravitational field and thus, due to time dilation, 1 hour for me is 2 hours for him (at his current position). If I were to send a beam of photons at him...
  13. stackprogramer

    B Why quantum physics like a math theory till a physics theory

    why quantum physics like a math theory till a physics theory,it never describe a of phoneme ? it write equation between many Hypothetical objects!
  14. TheDarkness

    Spontaneous Velocity.

    Hypothetically, a particle p of mass M is sitting at velocity v. Assuming M = 0, and the vi of p is 0 m/s, 0 seconds passes and vf 100 m/s is reached. Since time t is 0, acceleration cannot exist, as no t has passed between the vi and vf states. And, knowing that a = (vf - vi)/ Δt, a = (100 -...
    • TheDarkness
    • Thread
    • acceleration hypothetical mass photons spontaneity velocity
    • Replies: 8
    • Forum: Mechanics
  15. Strilanc

    Special relativity and flat donut universes

    Suppose there was a universe that was small, and flat, but globally it was connected like a torus. Basically, pac-man's universe (except special relativity is in effect). The space ##(\mathbb{R} \pmod{1})^3##. Does this assumed universe have a distinguished inertial frame where the...
  16. B

    Inverted Piano Action

    Hello! I have a question about grand piano action design. As a quick primer, the way a piano works is basically that each key is a lever mounted on a fulcrum, so when a player presses a key, the other end of that lever rises. A hammer is attached to the other end of the key, and when that end...
  17. S

    Can I make a banana from nothing?

    Excuse the simplified question title. I have very little knowledge in the world of organic chemistry, and chemistry alone. If I looked at the composition of banana (atomically), and then I got a little jar full of every element that is necessary to a banana's composition, could I make a...
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