General Chemistry (4th Edition)

Published by University Science Books
ISBN 10: 1891389602
ISBN 13: 978-1-89138-960-3

Chapter 1 Chemistry and the Scientific Method - Problems - Page 34: 2

Answer

First the scientists must verify the results of the original experiment to be sure that no errors were made. Second, if the results are confirmed, then the theory must be either revised to accommodate the new data or discarded and replaced by a new theory.

Work Step by Step

This question requires knowledge of both the scientific method and theories: The scientific method values the reliability of data, meaning that the same procedure produces the same results time after time. This is the reason that verifying the results through repetition is the first step. The second step contextualizes the new information in the scope of previous studies as scientists must always welcome new evidence into their understanding of theories. It is also important to understand what a theory is to answer this question. A theory is a unifying principle which explains the law based on the experimental observations.
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