Which statement describes the Alternate Hypothesis (H1)?

Which statement describes the Alternate Hypothesis (H1)?

• A. There is no change, difference, or relationship for the population.
• B. There is a change, difference, or relationship for the population.
• C. The alternate hypothesis is identical to the null.
• D. The alternate hypothesis always asserts a causal link.

Answer: (B)

In hypothesis testing, you compare two competing statements: the null and the alternative. The alternative hypothesis expresses that there is some effect in the population—not just random fluctuation. That means there is a change, a difference, or a relationship somewhere in the population. It can be directional or non-directional depending on the test, but the essential idea is that evidence would support an effect rather than nothing changing or nothing related. This is why the best answer says there is a change, difference, or relationship for the population: it captures the idea that the study is about detecting some effect or association, not asserting that everything stays the same. The other statements describe no change or no relationship (which belongs to the null hypothesis), claim the two hypotheses are identical (which would make testing pointless), or insist on causality (which is not required or guaranteed by the alternative hypothesis in many studies).

In hypothesis testing, you compare two competing statements: the null and the alternative. The alternative hypothesis expresses that there is some effect in the population—not just random fluctuation. That means there is a change, a difference, or a relationship somewhere in the population. It can be directional or non-directional depending on the test, but the essential idea is that evidence would support an effect rather than nothing changing or nothing related.

This is why the best answer says there is a change, difference, or relationship for the population: it captures the idea that the study is about detecting some effect or association, not asserting that everything stays the same. The other statements describe no change or no relationship (which belongs to the null hypothesis), claim the two hypotheses are identical (which would make testing pointless), or insist on causality (which is not required or guaranteed by the alternative hypothesis in many studies).