Question

(a) What is the difference between a hypothesis and a theory? (b) Explain the difference between a theory and a scientific law. Which addresses how matter behaves, and which addresses why it behaves that way?

Short answer

(a) A hypothesis is a proposed explanation based on limited evidence, while a theory is a well-substantiated explanation based on a large body of evidence. (b) A theory is an explanation, while a scientific law is a description. A scientific law addresses how matter behaves, and a theory addresses why it behaves that way.

Step-by-step solution

(a) Understanding hypotheses and theories

A hypothesis is an educated guess or a proposed explanation for an observation or phenomenon, based on limited evidence. It is a starting point for further investigation and experimentation. A theory, on the other hand, is a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world, based on a body of facts that have been repeatedly confirmed through observation and experimentation. Theories have been tested and supported by a large amount of evidence and are generally accepted as true by the scientific community. In summary: - A hypothesis is a proposed explanation based on limited evidence. - A theory is a well-substantiated explanation based on a large body of evidence.

(b) Understanding theories and scientific laws

A scientific theory, as mentioned previously, is a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world based on a body of facts that have been repeatedly confirmed through observation and experimentation. A scientific law, on the other hand, is a statement that describes an observable phenomenon that has been shown to be consistently true under specific conditions. While both theories and scientific laws are based on empirical evidence, the main difference between the two lies in their scope: - A theory explains a broad range of observations and provides an underlying framework for numerous related scientific laws. - A scientific law describes a specific, consistent relationship between variables and is usually represented in the form of a mathematical equation. As for which addresses how matter behaves and which addresses why it behaves that way: - A scientific law addresses how matter behaves by stating a consistent relationship between variables. - A theory addresses why matter behaves that way by providing an underlying explanation for the observations and the related scientific laws. In summary: - A theory is an explanation, while a scientific law is a description. - A scientific law addresses how matter behaves, and a theory addresses why it behaves that way.