Which term best matches the statement: 'A well-supported explanation of an observed pattern in nature'?

• A. Mechanism
• B. Fossil
• C. Scientific theory
• D. Natural selection

Answer: (C)

A scientific theory is a well-supported explanation of natural phenomena that brings together a wide range of observations, experiments, and evidence, and that makes testable predictions. That is exactly what the statement describes: a broad, validated explanation for an observed pattern in nature rather than a single idea or a specific process. A mechanism refers to how something happens, which can be a component of a theory but isn’t the label for the explanatory framework itself. A fossil is a piece of evidence, not an explanatory framework. Natural selection is a particular mechanism within the broader theory of evolution, not the general term for a well-supported explanatory pattern.