A theory is a unifying statement that explains a body of facts and the laws based on that body of facts. ^{CITATION REQUIRED} Theories may be rejected with the development of new instruments or experimental procedures.^{CITATION REQUIRED} Theories are never proven. A scientific theory summarizes a hypothesis or group of hypotheses that have been supported with repeated testing. A theory is valid as long as there is no evidence to dispute it. Therefore, theories can be disproven. Basically, if evidence accumulates to support a hypothesis, then the hypothesis can become accepted as a good explanation of a phenomenon. One definition of a theory is to say it's an accepted hypothesis. ^[1]

1. Atomic Theory
2. Kinetic Molecular Theory
3. Quantum Mechanical Theory
4. Acid - Base Theory

A theory is a framework or model in which observations are explained and predictions are made.

1. Well tested explanations
2. Refined or discarded when new experimental results conflict
3. Three aspects to a theory: philosophical, mathematical, and empirical.

A good theory:

• Explains current data
• is as simple as possible
• predicts results of future experiments
• suggests new lines of research

References

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Periodic Table Elements Balancing chemical equations Scientific Method History of Chemistry Math Skills Chemical Bonds Classification of Matter Polyatomics Carbon	Molality Learning chemistry Nuclear decay Photoelectric effect Acids Solute Specific heat Catalyst Duet rule Octet rule	Henry Moseley Jean Baptiste Perrin Evangelista Torricelli Antoine Lavoisier Clemens Winkler Henri Becquerel Friedrich Wöhler Henri Louis Le Chatelier Josiah Willard Gibbs Benjamin Thompson

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