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Successfully proven hypotheses can lead to either scientific theories or scientific laws, which are similar in character but are not synonymous terms. The scientific method involves formulating hypotheses and testing them to see if they hold up to the realities of the natural world.
The most basic difference between scientific law and scientific theory is as simple as the difference between "what" and "why." What Is Scientific Law? A scientific law focuses solely on describing what. A scientific law provides a description of a directly observable phenomenon.
Both scientific laws and scientific theories are based in the scientific method and are falsifiable. However, the two terms have very different meanings. A law describes what happens, but does not explain it. A theory explains how or why something works.
So, how does a theory differ from a law? Simply put, theories explain, and laws describe. A scientific theory explains why certain phenomena occur, based on evidence collected through observation and experimentation. In contrast, a scientific law describes the consistent behavior of natural phenomena, often summarized in mathematical formulas.
However, there is a key difference. A theory explains why or how something works, while a law describes what happens without explaining it. Often, you see laws written in the form of equations or formulas. Theories and laws are related, but theories never become laws or vice versa.
But a conversation about an established scientific law rarely ends with “Well, that’s just a law.” Why is that? What is the difference between a theory and a law... and is one “better”? Matt Anticole shows why science needs both laws and theories to understand the whole picture.
scientific theory, systematic ideational structure of broad scope, conceived by the human imagination, that encompasses a family of empirical (experiential) laws regarding regularities existing in objects and events, both observed and posited.
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-s-the-difference-between-a-scientific-law-and-theory-matt-anticoleChat with a friend about an established sc...
Scientific laws and scientific theories are both fundamental concepts in the field of science, but they differ in their scope and nature. Scientific laws are concise statements that describe a fundamental principle or relationship in nature, often expressed in mathematical equations.
A scientific law predicts the results of certain initial conditions. It might predict your unborn child’s possible hair colors, or how far a baseball travels when launched at a certain angle. In contrast, a theory tries to provide the most logical explanation about why things happen as they do.