A scientific hypothesis is a proposed explanation for an observable phenomenon. In other words, a hypothesis is an educated guess about the relationship between multiple variables. A hypothesis is a fresh, unchallenged idea that a scientist proposes prior to conducting research. The purpose of a hypothesis is to provide a tentative explanation for an occurrence, an explanation that scientists can either support or disprove through experimentation. A scientific theory is an explanation for a natural phenomenon that is widely accepted among the scientific community and supported by data. Scientific theories are confirmed by many tests and experiments, meaning theories are unlikely to change. While the word "theory" is commonly used outside the scientific world to describe a simple hunch, scientists use the term to describe a broadly accepted explanation for an occurrence. The purpose of a theory is to establish a general principle that clearly explains certain phenomena. While a theory is not a prediction, scientists may use theories to help make a prediction about an unexplained aspect of the natural world. A hypothesis proposes a tentative explanation or prediction. A scientist bases their hypothesis on a specific observed event, making an educated guess as to how or why that event occurs. Their hypothesis may be proven true or false by testing and experimentation. A theory, on the other hand, is a substantiated explanation for an occurrence. Theories rely on tested and verified data, and scientists widely accepted theories to be true, though not unimpeachable.