In science, theory and law are two distinct concepts, though both are based on evidence and help explain or predict natural phenomena. Here’s how they differ:
- Theory:
- A theory is a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world that is based on a body of evidence and that has stood up to repeated testing and scrutiny.
- Theories explain why or how something happens. For example, the Theory of Evolution explains how species change over time due to natural selection.
- A theory can evolve over time as new evidence is gathered, and it may be refined or modified to better fit new findings.
- It is generally broader and can be used to predict future events or outcomes.
- Law:
- A law describes a consistent and universal observation that happens under certain conditions. It is often a mathematical or descriptive statement about a natural phenomenon.
- Laws describe what happens, but not necessarily why it happens. For example, Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation describes how two masses attract each other with a force, but it doesn’t explain the underlying causes (that’s where theories like gravity come in).
- Laws tend to be very general and apply universally, often under specific conditions.