Nope. Please explain how something that is required to be falsifiable, is not in itself false.
THESIS
ACID RAIN; The Immediate and Long Term Environmental Effects and The Prognosis for Remedial Processes Through Emission Reductions.
Abstract
The purpose of the following hypotheses and ensuing experiments are to try to determine the Anthropogenic vs. Biogenic or Natural, and Agnogenic roles in the causation of acidic rainfall, the impacts on the environment both long and short term, and the efficacy of any remedial actions to reduce future incidence and facilitate recovery.
I. Acidic rain is caused by interaction of atmospheric concentrations of sulfates and nitrites with atmospheric moisture. (
hypothesis)1
A.Demonstrate the balanced equations necessary for the formation of sulfuric and nitric acid potentials. (
experiments) (
methods)1
a.SO2
b.NO2
c.SO3,
d.H2SO4
e.HNO3
B.Preform stoichiometric calculations to determine concentrations necessary for the formation of
1.H2SO4
A.Collect and correlate data from Government and Academic Archives sources of atmospheric levels of
a.SO2
b.NO2
c.SO3,
d.H2SO4
e.HNO3
2.HNO3.
A.Collect and correlate data from Government and Academic Archives sources of atmospheric levels of
a.SO2
b.NO2
c.SO3,
d.H2SO4
e.HNO3
II. Atmospheric concentrations of sulfates and nitrites can be sourced through anthropogenic activities. (
hypothesis)1
....
III. Acidic rain deposition causes a reduction in the pH of affected ground water; lakes, rivers, streams, and ponds. (
hypothesis)1
.....
Einstein;
Perhaps this will help you understand the concept of falsifying a theory without the theory necessarily being de facto false .
This is a snippet of my biology thesis. (This is paraphrased but to the best as I can recall. It took several weeks to develop the hypotheses and experiments and 40 pages to detail the data and results. Falsifying a theory is NOT easy.)
The "I.", " II.", etc. are hypotheses (young theories... there were VII ).
In the first one I "claim" acid rain is caused by environmental pollutants reacting with water in the air to form acid.
I then formulate experiments that "may" prove my claim false.
I start by setting up the balanced equations for the formation of acid from either SO2 or NO2. If, I can not produce a balanced equation then, immediately, my claim is falsified and it's back to the drawing board.
If I can, while not proving my claim is yet true, I can move on to the next experiment. I then have to compare how much of each pollutant is present in the atmosphere. I use data from other sources and compare the results to my calculations on just how much SO2 needs to be present and how much of everything else.
Again, if there isn't a sufficient amount to cause a reaction to proceed, it is falsified.
If there is, we move on again to continue to "try to be wrong".
Each step, each new hypothesis, continues toward the "goal" of being wrong.
When, after several attempts to prove an idea, or claim, or hypothesis wrong, you still have not shown it to be false, you have a working theory which, again, you and peers, keep trying to show to be false.
After many attempts and many sources have failed to show a theory to be false, it becomes accepted as a law but, always, science seeks to disprove itself. A hypothesis, theory, or law is only as good as the latest attempt to show it to be false.
A curious way of doing business but, it does have it's merit.
At least this is how I remember the scientific method. It has been a long time. Hope I'm not exhibiting senility yet.
I hope this helps your understanding.
Just incase you or anyone wonders what my results showed, here is a synopsis. The biology course structure had an automatic chemistry minor, It was the mid 80's, Acid rain was all the rage, What better choice could I have made.
For the three I mentioned:
I. Not falsified
The formation of acidic rain from sulfate and nitrate in the atmosphere does happen.
II. Not exactly falsified
Human sourced pollution was contributory to but certainly not exclusively inculpatory for acid rain. There are far too many natural sources of the target pollutants to be excluded as an equal contributor.
III. Not falsified
The actual reduction in pH was less than what activists tried to influence the public to believe. You may remember hearing such numbers as 100 times lower or even 1000 times more acidic. They site the H+ concentration to exaggerate the difference and would sometimes use the comparison of rivers and lakes to a neutral pH of 7.0 so, pH of 6.0 is about 1000 times more acidic than a pH of 7.0 (900 actually, if I am still doing the math right; %= [H+] new - [H+] orig / [H+] orig X 100, pH =-log [H+]). Typical activist tactics.
The last:
VI. Remedial action, such as reducing emissions, should reduce the incidence of acidic rainfall. (I call that one a no-brainer.) Not Falsified
The effects of anthropogenic acid rain were localized in the areas (normally eastward) of the pollution source whereas, the effects of acid rain from natural sources were more widespread though less extreme, in most cases, volcanic eruptions excluded.
VII. Left to it's own devices, the environment adjusts to and recovers from pH extremes of +/- 2 to 3 pH units from the norm if, the influx of acidic/basic contamination stops.
My opinion today;
Did man-made pollution exaggerate the incidence of and effects of acid rain? Most likely, Yes, but, I am pleased to see my finding that the environment would recover with no more influence than just reducing the amounts of contaminants was "not falsified". Yet!
1. Italicized words are used to point out what's hypothetical and falsifying mechanisms.