Which statement best expresses the difference between verifiable and falsifiable in scientific claims?

• A. Verifiable means can be demonstrated as true; falsifiable means it can be proven false by evidence.
• B. Both terms mean the claim can be proven true.
• C. Verifiable means hypothetical.
• D. Falsifiable means it can be proven false by evidence.

Answer: (A)

Verifiability and falsifiability describe two directions in how evidence can relate to a claim. Verifiability means you can show the claim is true by evidence or observation. Falsifiability means there are possible observations that could show the claim is false. In science, a strong claim is one that could be disproven by evidence as well as supported by evidence, so you can test it in a way that could reveal a falsehood.

For example, a claim like “All swans are white” is falsifiable because discovering even a single non-white swan would prove it false. You can gather white swans to support it, which is verifiable, but what makes the claim scientifically meaningful is that it could be refuted by evidence.

The best answer captures both ideas: verifiable means it can be demonstrated as true, and falsifiable means it can be proven false by evidence. The other statements misstate the relationship or omit one side of the distinction.