Consider the scenario presented here, and then use your understanding of the tentative acceptance of hypotheses to follow the instructions beneath the scenario. At a time when existing understanding of the orbits of Jupiter and Saturn could not account for the behavior of the planet Uranus, scientists developed mathematical tables to ascertain the precise locations of the planets. In 1843, they hypothesized that an eighth planet (Neptune) must exist whose motion affected the orbit of Uranus. The implications of this hypothesis were tested, and evidence was produced that accounted for the relationships between Neptune and the orbits of the other planets.

Which of the following statements properly describe the discovery of Neptune?
a. The Neptune hypothesis contradicted empirical evidence that was accepted by the scientists.
b. The relationship between the mathematical models used in the formulation of the Neptune hypothesis and the behavior of the planet Uranus are part of what makes the hypothesis internally coherent.
c. The effects of interplanetary gravitational forces implied by the Neptune hypothesis contributed to the internal coherence of the hypothesis.
d. The movement of the planet Uranus was explained by the hypothesis of an eighth planet.