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[ hahy- poth - uh -sis , hi- ]
/ haɪˈpɒθɪsɪs /
/ hī-pŏth ′ ĭ-sĭs /
, Plural hypotheses hī-pŏth ′ ĭ-sēz′
Origin of hypothesis 1
Example sentences.
Though researchers have struggled to understand exactly what contributes to this gender difference, Dr. Rohan has one hypothesis.
The leading hypothesis for the ultimate source of the Ebola virus, and where it retreats in between outbreaks, lies in bats.
In 1996, John Paul II called the Big Bang theory “more than a hypothesis.”
To be clear: There have been no double-blind or controlled studies that conclusively confirm this hair-loss hypothesis.
The bacteria-driven-ritual hypothesis ignores the huge diversity of reasons that could push someone to perform a religious ritual.
And remember it is by our hypothesis the best possible form and arrangement of that lesson.
Taken in connection with what we know of the nebulæ, the proof of Laplace's nebular hypothesis may fairly be regarded as complete.
What has become of the letter from M. de St. Mars, said to have been discovered some years ago, confirming this last hypothesis?
To admit that there had really been any communication between the dead man and the living one is also an hypothesis.
"I consider it highly probable," asserted Aunt Maria, forgetting her Scandinavian hypothesis.
What is an example of homeostasis in a living thing, what is an example of homeostasis in a mechanical system, are there examples of homeostasis in ecosystems.
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Homeostasis is any self-regulating process by which an organism tends to maintain stability while adjusting to conditions that are best for its survival. If homeostasis is successful, life continues; if it’s unsuccessful, it results in a disaster or death of the organism. The “stability” that the organism reaches is rarely around an exact point (such as the idealized human body temperature of 37 °C [98.6 °F]). Stability takes place as part of a dynamic equilibrium , which can be thought of as a cloud of values within a tight range in which continuous change occurs. The result is that relatively uniform conditions prevail.
Body temperature control in humans is one of the most familiar examples of homeostasis. Normal body temperature hovers around 37 °C (98.6 °F), but a number of factors can affect this value, including exposure to the elements, hormones , metabolic rate , and disease , leading to excessively high or low body temperatures. The hypothalamus in the brain regulates body temperature, and feedback about body temperature from the body is carried through the bloodstream to the brain, which results in adjustments in breathing rate, blood sugar levels, and metabolic rate. In contrast, reduced activity, perspiration , and heat-exchange processes that permit more blood to circulate near the skin surface contribute to heat loss. Heat loss is reduced by insulation, decreased circulation to the skin, clothing , shelter, and external heat sources.
A familiar example of homeostatic regulation in a mechanical system is the action of a thermostat , a machine that regulates room temperature . At the centre of a thermostat is a bimetallic strip that responds to temperature changes. The strip expands under warmer conditions and contracts under cooler conditions to either disrupt or complete an electric circuit . When the room cools, the circuit is completed, the furnace switches on, and the temperature rises. At a preset level, perhaps 20 °C (68 °F), the circuit breaks, the furnace stops, and no additional heat is released into the room. Over time, the temperature slowly drops until the room cools enough to trigger the process again.
The concept of homeostasis has also been used in studies of ecosystems. Canadian-born American ecologist Robert MacArthur first proposed in 1955 that homeostasis in ecosystems results from biodiversity (the variety of life in a given place) and the ecological interactions ( predation , competition , decomposition, etc.) that occur between the species living there. The term homeostasis has been used by many ecologists to describe the back-and-forth interaction that occurs between the different parts of an ecosystem to maintain the status quo. It was thought that this kind of homeostasis could help to explain why forests , grasslands , or other ecosystems persist (that is, remain in the same location for long periods of time). Since 1955 the concept has changed to incorporate the ecosystem’s nonliving parts, such as rocks , soil , and water .
homeostasis , any self-regulating process by which biological systems tend to maintain stability while adjusting to conditions that are optimal for survival . If homeostasis is successful, life continues; if unsuccessful, disaster or death ensues. The stability attained is actually a dynamic equilibrium , in which continuous change occurs yet relatively uniform conditions prevail. The general idea of this self-regulating process was explored by French physiologist Claude Bernard in 1849 and the word homeostasis coined by American neurologist and physiologist Walter Bradford Cannon in 1926.
Any system in dynamic equilibrium tends to reach a steady state, a balance that resists outside forces of change. When such a system is disturbed, built-in regulatory devices respond to the departures to establish a new balance; such a process is one of feedback control . All processes of integration and coordination of function, whether mediated by electrical circuits or by nervous and hormonal systems, are examples of homeostatic regulation.
A familiar example of homeostatic regulation in a mechanical system is the action of a room- temperature regulator, or thermostat . The heart of the thermostat is a bimetallic strip that responds to temperature changes by completing or disrupting an electric circuit . When the room cools, the circuit is completed, the furnace operates, and the temperature rises. At a preset level the circuit breaks, the furnace stops, and the temperature drops. Biological systems are more complex and have regulators only very roughly comparable to such mechanical devices. The two types of systems are alike, however, in their goal—to sustain activity within a prescribed range, whether to control the thickness of rolled steel or the pressure within the circulatory system .
The control of body temperature in humans is a good example of homeostasis in a biological system. In humans, normal body temperature fluctuates around the value of 37 °C (98.6 °F), but various factors can affect this value, including exposure, hormones , metabolic rate , and disease , leading to excessively high or low temperatures. The body’s temperature regulation is controlled by a region in the brain called the hypothalamus . Feedback about body temperature is carried through the nervous system to the brain and results in compensatory adjustments in the breathing rate, the level of blood sugar , and the metabolic rate. The circulatory system also plays important roles: its baroreceptors (pressure-sensitive receptors in the blood vessels that respond to stretching) relay blood pressure information back to the brain, and it transports hormones secreted by the hypothalamus and the thyroid gland to regulate the body’s metabolism . Heat loss in humans is aided by reduction of activity, by perspiration , and by heat-exchange mechanisms that permit larger amounts of blood to circulate near the skin surface. Heat loss is reduced by insulation, decreased circulation to the skin, and cultural modification such as the use of clothing, shelter, and external heat sources. The range between high and low body temperature levels constitutes the homeostatic plateau—the “normal” range that sustains life. As either of the two extremes is approached, corrective action (through negative feedback) returns the system to the normal range.
The concept of homeostasis has also been applied to ecological settings. First proposed by Canadian-born American ecologist Robert MacArthur in 1955, homeostasis in ecosystems is a product of the combination of biodiversity and large numbers of ecological interactions that occur between species. It was thought of as a concept that could help to explain an ecosystem’s stability—that is, its persistence as a particular ecosystem type over time ( see ecological resilience ). Since then, the concept has changed slightly to incorporate the ecosystem’s abiotic (nonliving) parts; the term has been used by many ecologists to describe the reciprocation that occurs between an ecosystem’s living and nonliving parts to maintain the status quo. The Gaia hypothesis —the model of Earth posited by English scientist James Lovelock that considers its various living and nonliving parts as components of a larger system or single organism—makes the assumption that the collective effort of individual organisms contributes to homeostasis at the planetary level. The single-organism aspect of the Gaia hypothesis is considered controversial because it posits that living things, at some level, are driven to work on behalf of the biosphere rather than toward the goal of their own survival.
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Biology definition: A hypothesis is a supposition or tentative explanation for (a group of) phenomena, (a set of) facts, or a scientific inquiry that may be tested, verified or answered by further investigation or methodological experiment.It is like a scientific guess.It's an idea or prediction that scientists make before they do experiments. They use it to guess what might happen and then ...
The meaning of HYPOTHESIS is an assumption or concession made for the sake of argument. How to use hypothesis in a sentence. The Difference Between Hypothesis and Theory Synonym Discussion of Hypothesis.
A scientific hypothesis is an inferred explanation of an observation or research finding; while more exploratory in nature than a theory, it is based on existing scientific knowledge. ... As a result of his extensive studies of animal anatomy, Cuvier had developed a holistic view of organisms, stating that the. ... This does not mean that ...
hypothesis, something supposed or taken for granted, with the object of following out its consequences (Greek hypothesis, "a putting under," the Latin equivalent being suppositio). Discussion with Kara Rogers of how the scientific model is used to test a hypothesis or represent a theory Kara Rogers, senior biomedical sciences editor of ...
A scientific hypothesis is a tentative, testable explanation for a phenomenon in the natural world. It's the initial building block in the scientific method. Many describe it as an "educated guess ...
The hypothesis of Andreas Cellarius, showing the planetary motions in eccentric and epicyclical orbits. A hypothesis (pl.: 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 ...
A hypothesis is an educated guess about how things work. It is an attempt to answer your question with an explanation that can be tested. A good hypothesis allows you to then make a prediction: "If _____[I do this] _____, then _____[this]_____ will happen." State both your hypothesis and the resulting prediction you will be testing.
By. Regina Bailey. Updated on August 16, 2024. The scientific method is a series of steps that scientific investigators follow to answer specific questions about the natural world. Scientists use the scientific method to make observations, formulate hypotheses, and conduct scientific experiments. A scientific inquiry starts with an observation.
In science, a hypothesis is an idea or explanation that you then test through study and experimentation. Outside science, a theory or guess can also be called a hypothesis.
A hypothesis is a tentative statement about the relationship between two or more variables. It is a specific, testable prediction about what you expect to happen in a study. It is a preliminary answer to your question that helps guide the research process. Consider a study designed to examine the relationship between sleep deprivation and test ...
A hypothesis (plural hypotheses) is a proposed explanation for an observation. The definition depends on the subject. In science, a hypothesis is part of the scientific method. It is a prediction or explanation that is tested by an experiment. Observations and experiments may disprove a scientific hypothesis, but can never entirely prove one.
hypothesis. science. scientific hypothesis, an idea that proposes a tentative explanation about a phenomenon or a narrow set of phenomena observed in the natural world. The two primary features of a scientific hypothesis are falsifiability and testability, which are reflected in an "If…then" statement summarizing the idea and in the ...
Definition of a Hypothesis. A hypothesis is a prediction of what will be found at the outcome of a research project and is typically focused on the relationship between two different variables studied in the research. It is usually based on both theoretical expectations about how things work and already existing scientific evidence.
A hypothesis is a suggested explanation for an event, which one can test. Although using the scientific method is inherent to science, it is inadequate in determining what science is. ... while biologists who study anatomy investigate the structure of an entire organism. Those biologists studying physiology, however, focus on the internal ...
Theory vs. Hypothesis: Basics of the Scientific Method. Written by MasterClass. Last updated: Jun 7, 2021 • 2 min read. Though you may hear the terms "theory" and "hypothesis" used interchangeably, these two scientific terms have drastically different meanings in the world of science.
A hypothesis is often called an "educated guess," but this is an oversimplification. An example of a hypothesis would be: "If snake species A and B compete for the same resources, and if we ...
Definition. The word "hypothesis" is of ancient Greek origin and composed of two parts: "hypo" for "under," and "thesis" for "to put there"; in Latin, this translated "to suppose" or "supposition"; made up of "sub" [under] and "positum" [put there]. It refers to something that we put there, maybe to start ...
The hypothesis is an educated, testable prediction about what will happen. Make it clear. A good hypothesis is written in clear and simple language. Reading your hypothesis should tell a teacher or judge exactly what you thought was going to happen when you started your project. Keep the variables in mind.
Homo sapiens - Anatomy, Physiology, Evolution: As intimated above, the physical definition of H. sapiens is bedeviled by a basic divergence of views among paleoanthropologists. One school of thought derives its philosophy from the "single-species hypothesis" popular in the 1960s. This hypothesis held that two kinds of culture-bearing hominins could not, on principle, exist at any one time ...
Definition: Hypothesis is an educated guess or proposed explanation for a phenomenon, based on some initial observations or data. It is a tentative statement that can be tested and potentially proven or disproven through further investigation and experimentation. Hypothesis is often used in scientific research to guide the design of experiments ...
Hypothesis is a prediction of the outcome of a study. Hypotheses are drawn from theories and research questions or from direct observations. In fact, a research problem can be formulated as a hypothesis. To test the hypothesis we need to formulate it in terms that can actually be analysed with statistical tools.
Hypothesis definition: a proposition, or set of propositions, set forth as an explanation for the occurrence of some specified group of phenomena, either asserted merely as a provisional conjecture to guide investigation (working hypothesis ) or accepted as highly probable in the light of established facts.. See examples of HYPOTHESIS used in a sentence.
Body temperature control in humans is one of the most familiar examples of homeostasis. Normal body temperature hovers around 37 °C (98.6 °F), but a number of factors can affect this value, including exposure to the elements, hormones, metabolic rate, and disease, leading to excessively high or low body temperatures.The hypothalamus in the brain regulates body temperature, and feedback about ...