What is Hypothetical: Definition and 189 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. P

    Compute the elastic modulus of hypothetical alloy

    Homework Statement Consider a cylindrical specimen of some hypothetical metal alloy that has a diameter of 10mm. A tensile force of 1500 N produces an elastic reduction in diameter of 6.7e-4mm. Compute the elastic modulus of this alloy, given that poisson's ratio is 0.35. Homework...
  2. G

    Tide in an enormous hypothetical canal

    imagine a man made canal many km wide and many km deep running the full length of one hemisphere at the equator. let one end of the canal be represented at the origin and the other at x=2π. the strength of gravity at any point due to the Earth plus tidal forces of the moon should equal a...
  3. Q

    Hypothetical engineering problem - the 'handbag car'

    There is an advertisement that has a large 'pick-up' or SUV come to a stop, fold itself up around the driver, lower her to the ground and continue to fold up until it's about the size of a matchbox. Humorously, it gives the 'secure' bleep noise before leaping into the drivers' handbag...
  4. C

    Hypothetical Nanotechnology Question

    A couple of questions in the context of constructing nuclear weapons: Would it be feasible to refine uranium nanotechnologically? It seems to me that a large number of nano-scale robots or other machines could directly, mechanically sort the atoms of uranium ore (or any other source) - the...
  5. Gokul43201

    News (Multiple Answer) Presidential Hypothetical Poll

    PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE RESPONDING TO THE MULTIPLE ANSWER POLL If Bush could legally run for a third term (let's say Presidential term limits only prevented a fourth term), then how would that affect your preferences for this election? Assume also, that McCain and the other Republicans in the...
  6. S

    Can Our Universe Be in an Infinite Loop?

    Just a question, I am by no means a astrophysicist... just a lowly thinker who doesn't think much IF a multiverse exists and we exist in a multiverse AND our universe in the end is doomed by our own gravity, resulting in "the big crunch" AND there will be another (or infinitely)...
  7. R

    How Much Would You Weigh on a Smaller Planet?

    Homework Statement The mass of a hypothetical planet is 1/100 that of Earth and its radius is 1/4 that of Earth. If a person weighs 150 lb on earth, what would he weigh on this planet Homework Equations I think F = G*m1*m2 / r^2 The Attempt at a Solution I believe F = 150lbs (im...
  8. V

    Hypothetical: Large Thermonuclear Detonation

    I guess this is more a geophysics question, but I was wondering about what the geophysical and atmospheric consequences would be of a single, massive energy release at a single location, caused by the simultaneous detonation of several large thermonuclear bombs or an antimatter explosion...
  9. X

    Hypothetical Questions about Inertial Drives

    I know what most people think about reactionless drives and or inertial drives, but I still have some hypothetical questions about the latter. In most inertial drive setups there is usually a spinning flywheel of some sort that is balanced. Next the inventor trys to offset the balance for a...
  10. A

    Which Liquid to Choose Based on Heat Capacity for Safety?

    Suppose there were two containers on a table, each containing a liquid with equal temperature (relatively high), density, viscosity, and volume (1-5 L). One liquid, however, has a much higher heat capacity than the other. If forced to choose a liquid and have it poured over you, which one...
  11. F

    Hypothetical 'black hole'/electron atom

    Homework Statement I have been asked to consider an atom formed between an electron and 'black hole' i.e. a point singularity with mass and no charge. I should find the mass of the black hole Mh such that the energy levels of this atom would be identical to the energy levels of a hydrogen atom...
  12. Holocene

    Hypothetical spacecrafts traveling at light speed.

    Ignoring the mass problem, imagine 2 spacecraft s are traveling at exactly the speed of light. One spacecraft directly behind the other, with only a hundred feet or so between them. If the speed of light is always the same for any observer, is it safe to say that when the trailing...
  13. J

    Okay, here is my hypothetical situation. Lets say there is a cylinder

    Okay, here is my hypothetical situation. Let's say there is a cylinder and we're looking at it with the round side facing us. Its diameter is 48in. There is a 48in rod going through that cylinder(with the ends shaped so that it conforms to the circumference of the cylinder) from the left side...
  14. D

    Can a Single Particle Move Without a Reference Point?

    Say you have only one particle, say an electron or proton or quark in the known universe. Can it move? Since matter governs space and so forth, without having another particle as a reference point does movement become totally irrelevant or imposible?
  15. I

    Hypothetical Question involving Conservation of Energy

    I recently read a question in which a poster questioned what would happen if you dissolved a compressed spring in acid and an uncompressed spring in acid. The question was where would the stored energy go from the compressed spring as it dissolved? The answer was that in experiments scientists...
  16. C

    Exploring Beyond the Edge of the Universe

    Let's assume that the universe is currently about 156 billion light years across. Suppose (I know it is impossible) that we somehow devised the ability to travel much, much faster than the speed of light and were able to reach the "edge" of the expanding universe. What would happen as we...
  17. N

    Hypothetical question on Inertia

    If we could imagine an object in space which does not obey the law of inertia ( ie it offers no resistance to motion) how would it react to a force applied to it? Since it offers no resistance to a force the concept of accleration would no longer apply (There would be no rate of change of...
  18. P

    Hypothetical question - Minority rights

    Well, I've grown an interest in the meaning of minority rights, and I'm trying to understand this term a little better. Under which case, or what are the guidelines for determining when, an action decided upon by the majority is illegal for the reason of removing minority rights? Let me...
  19. MathematicalPhysicist

    Can You Change Your Speciality After Receiving a PhD in Mathematics or Physics?

    let's say, hypothetically, that i was doing my phd dissertation on only one of the next topics: 1.Metamathmeatics (model logic,proof theory,set theory,recursion theory). 2. Pure Maths (Algebra,Analysis,Geometry/Topology,Combinatorics,Number Theory). 3. Mathematical Physics &/or theoretical...
  20. tony873004

    Can I Ignite a Star with 1.1 kg of Mass?

    Low mass stars live WAY longer than even medium mass stars. But there is a limit as to how much mass an object must have before it can burn hydrogen and be considered a star. What if I found an brown dwarf that was 1 kilogram shy of becoming a star. So I go there in my spaceship and toss a...
  21. S

    What Would Happen if the Earth Was Flat and There Was No Gravity?

    If the Earth was flat, and there were no such thing as gravity, and it, along with all the celestial bodies, accelerated upwards (so, parallel to normal) at 1g(9.8m/s^2), what would happen if I dropped a pen while I am on earth?
  22. B

    How Would Headlights Behave If Your Car Traveled Faster Than Light?

    Example: If you had a car that could travel quicker than the speed of light (Theoretically speaking), and there was another car infront of you traveling at the same speed, how would the light from your headlights travel ? From what i understand light always travels at the same speed...
  23. T

    Is this a hypothetical question?

    Is this a hypothetical question?
  24. E

    White Dwarf + Hydrogen Gas: Can It Revive Fusion?

    I've been thinking about what might happen if a white dwarf came across a fresh source of hydrogen. Suppose a white dwarf were to enter a cloud of hydrogen gas like the ones that stars are born from. Could it scoop up enough material for nuclear fusion to start again? Is there any evidence for...
  25. R

    What is the equation for the hypothetical wavefunction with a peak at z=1?

    Sorry, another quick question. If I have a particle confined in a region of space -4 <= Z <=6 where psi(x)= A(4+z), -4<= z <=1 A(6-z), 1<= z <=6 0 , everywhere else And I sketch the wavefunction based on the above definitions, what is the actual equation for...
  26. wolram

    New Planet: Earth-Like | Would You Go?

    It is Earth like, and reachable in a reasonable time, with new spaceship design, only (basic) tools and equiptment can be transported with you, would you go?
  27. M

    Targeting the Sun: A Hypothetical Look at Laser Power and Sky Position

    Say there is a very powerful laser, so powerful it's capable of destroying the Sun. What point in the sky should you aim for in order to hit the sun with a laser beam? Thanks in advance for your help.
  28. S

    Hypothetical Question. Creating Gravity and power supplies

    Hi guys just wondering if their were any theroys , in relation to creating gravity in space, so weightlness dose not take affect and people can walk freely, Also. Even though this is off the subject ,what did the Russian Space Station use to generate power. any help on this would be...
  29. R

    School Application Deadlines: Importance and Impact on Admissions

    How miffed is a school if an applicant decides to disregard all the written deadlines?
  30. S

    Keplers laws and a hypothetical 1/r^3 dependence

    Hello, i've been asked a hypothetical question about Keplers three laws: What if the gravitational force was proprotional to 1/r^3 instead of 1/r^2? And for one of the laws it apparently "isent easy to decide". My thoughts: keplers 1. : my first thought was that this law was the "not easy to...
  31. R

    Can the Reality of the Quantum Mechanical Wave Function be Falsified?

    Suppose an experiment was published next week in Science that conclusively falsified quantum mechanics, how would the science of physics change ? Here I assume that QM is a true scientific theory and via Popper must be open to falsification (that is, if QM cannot ever be falsified it is not...
  32. S

    Hypothetical; what would a rocket look like to an outside observor if

    just finishin an essay on special relativity; and iv just realized to of the sources iv used contradict each other. If a rocket is traveling near the speed of light, and it is feeling space contraction, to an outside observor will the rocket appear to be contracting (and being flattened like a...
  33. V

    A hypothetical pressure question lifting a 10,000kg object

    Lets say you have a very long (and strong) tube (310m high) filled with water. at the bottom, the tube comes back up, forming a U shape. if the radius at the end of this U shape was 0.1m.. does this mean that (absolutely regardless of the radius of the top at the top, and therefore the...
  34. V

    A hypothetical pressure question what if u covered the top of a container?

    Lets say u have something like this | | => A |------| => B | | | | | | |------| => C (1m below the metal seperator) B => this is a strong metal seperator.. the water on top of this sits on this. the seperator is attached to the container..it does not float...
  35. T

    Light Propulsion: The Hypothetical Question of Energy Transfer and Velocity

    Imagine, now a situation in which light is used to propel an object forward, just as light is used to propel electrons, imagine that very dense light is used or a hugh intensity laser is used to propel a whole lot of mass forward directly, now since light imaprts its energy to the mass, wouldn't...
  36. D

    Hypothetical Fear as a Basis for Decision Making.

    I wan't sure whether to post this here or in Value Theory. I meant to post it in Value Theory so the moderators can move it if they wish. I have no preference personally. What does everyone think of hypothetical fear as a basis for decision making? Examples: I don't want to kill an...
  37. wolram

    Oort Cloud: Confirmed or Hypothetical?

    can anyone tell me if the existence of the Oort Cloud has been confirmed, or is it still hypothetical?
  38. wasteofo2

    News Hypothetical Situation in regards to the election.

    Here's my hypothetical situation: The economy continues on the upward trend it's going on but slows down a bit, jobs are being created at a moderate rate but nothing remarkable. Bush is giving some sort of adress or doing something which is highly televised and many are watching. Bill Clinton...
  39. MathematicalPhysicist

    What Happens if We Remove a Planet from the Solar System?

    let's say we remove one of the planets from it's orbit around the sun (let's remove it far away from the solar system) what would (if any) happen to the orbits of the other planets around the sun? my bet nothing.
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