Difference Between Scientific Laws and Scientific Theories
You might have come across scientific theory and scientific law while studying science. These are the principles that have many similarities such as the, the support of empirical data, tested hypotheses, Wide acceptance and help unify a field. Yet there are many differences between these two concepts as well.
Scientific laws
There are many definitions of scientific laws and three of the most widely accepted ones are given below:
1) It is an empirical generalization, a declaration of a principle of biology that seems to have no exception when it is created and has become consolidated by the successful and repetitive testing.
2) It is a theory based principle that has been inferred from certain facts, applicable to an aggregate or particular category of phenomena, which is expressible in the form of a declaration that any phenomenon occurs always only if certain conditions are met.
3) It is a set of regularities that have been noticed and later expressed in a compact mathematical or verbal statement.
Scientific theories
Here are some accepted definitions.
1) It is the grandest synthesis of a large and important body of information on a related group of natural phenomenon.
2) It is a body of knowledge and explanatory concepts that seek to increase our understanding of an important natural phenomenon.
3) An explanation of an observation or a series of observations which is justified by a considerable body of evidence.
The difference between scientific laws and scientific theories
Reading these definitions, it seems that both the scientific laws that theories are very much alike. The significant difference according to some scientists among these two is that a law aims at describing the nature under particular conditions and also predicts that nature will do if these conditions are met. On the other hand, a theory aims at explain the working of nature . Another remarkable difference is that laws can often be explained using mathematics, while theories can‘t be explained mathematically. This explains why the physics and chemistry have so many laws (as you explain mathematically), while biology has no laws and has a lot of theories that need not be explained mathematically.