AI reviewed · sources pending. Book associations have not been verified.
Experimental test
ConceptA scientific model must answer to observations that can check its predictions.
Explanation or usage
A model proposes relationships and consequences that can be compared with measurements. A contradiction is a reason to re-examine the model, its assumptions, and the experimental setup. Agreement supports a model within the tested conditions rather than proving it universally true.
Common misunderstandings
Agreement with one experiment proves a theory in all possible conditions.
In The Feynman Lectures on Physics, Volume I
General context reviewed · book attribution and sources pending
A relevant learning context is distinguishing a model's explanatory reach from evidence that tests its predictions.
In Cosmos
General context reviewed · book attribution and sources pending
Compare a model’s predicted planetary positions with measured positions. Such observational tests can constrain a model without requiring a controlled experiment on a planet.