Question

Identify each of the following statements as being most similar to a hypothesis, a law, or a theory. Explain your reasoning.

(a) The pressure of a sample of gas is directly proportional to the temperature of the gas.

(b) Matter consists of tiny particles that can combine in specific ratios to form substances with specific properties.

(c) At a higher temperature, solids (such as salt or sugar) will dissolve better in water.

Short answer

1. A law
2. Theory
3. Hypothesis

Step-by-step solution

Introduction:

Chemistry is an observational and experimental science. In terms of chemistry's principles and theories, chemistry aims to answer problems and explain observations using techniques that have been authorised by the scientific community. There is no one-size-fits-all technique for answering a question or explaining an observation, but there is one thing that all of them have in common: they all rely on knowledge derived from experiments that can be replicated to verify the results.

A law

Some approaches necessitate the use of a hypothesis, which is a speculative interpretation of observations that acts as a guide for gathering and validating data.The pressure varies with the gas temperature, which indicates the observance of the experimental data. These variations can be used to predict the fact. Therefore, it is the law

Theory

If a hypothesis is capable of explaining a vast body of experimental evidence, it can be elevated to the level of a theory. Scientific theories are well-supported, comprehensive, and testable explanations of specific natural phenomena.Theories are accepted because they provide adequate explanations, but they can be revised as new information becomes available.

Matters consisting of tiny particles are widely accepted predictions. The prediction for the matter constituents depends upon the behaviour of matter. Therefore, it is a theory.

Hypothesis:

Some paths require a hypothesis, which is a speculative explanation of observations that serves as a guide for obtaining and verifying data. We test a theory by experimenting with it, calculating it, and/or comparing it to other people's experiments, and then fine-tuning it as needed. Dissolving salt or sugar in water is the possibility to prove the fact. The dissolution of salt or sugar is an approximation of the fact. Therefore, it is a hypothesis.