Which statement best describes an evidence-based explanation in science?

• A. An explanation based on personal opinions
• B. An explanation that is purely theoretical without data
• C. A claim about the underlying cause using scientific concepts consistent with data
• D. An explanation that only considers qualitative observations

Answer: (C)

An evidence-based explanation in science connects what is observed to an underlying cause by using scientific concepts and data. It goes beyond opinion or guesswork by showing how data from experiments or observations support a claim about what caused a phenomenon. The explanation links the cause to the observed effects with reasoning that is consistent with established scientific concepts and is testable or able to be evaluated against additional data.

This means it should involve evidence gathered from investigations, use ideas that fit with the data, and make clear how the data support the proposed cause. It can integrate both qualitative and quantitative information as needed to justify the reasoning. Personal opinions or explanations that lack data, as well as arguments that rely only on theory without data, don’t meet this standard, and a view that focuses only on qualitative observations misses the broader evidentiary support that data provide.