Randy observed that cooked onions in his food taste very differently from the raw onions that he had on his salad. He wondered why that was so. He thinks that he has an idea, but he is not sure. What has he developed in his mind?

Randy has noticed an observation and formed a possible explanation for why cooked and raw onions taste different. A proposed explanation that can be investigated or tested is a hypothesis. A theory is a broader explanation supported by substantial evidence, while a fact is an established observation and a law describes a consistent pattern.

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.