Theory vs law lesson

​Theory

vs

Law

By eduardo and dane

​ scientific law is a statement that describes what scientists expect to happen

​Laws

scientific theory is a well-tested explanation

​

​Theory

law vs theory

• The Theory of Evolution

• Cell Theory

• Atomic Theory

• Theory of Plate Tectonics

• Law of Universal Gravitation 

• Law of Superposition

• Law of Conservation of Mass

• Law of Conservation of Energy

​Theory explains why something happens whereas law describes what happens

​

What theories and laws do

​If a theory cannot explain new evidence or observations then the theory is revised or even thrown out, but if the theory still explains a wide range of observations and evidence then it is revised rather than discarded. 

​Why can theories change

Multiple Select

Check all the statements that apply to a scientific law.

• States that an event will occur

• A repeatable pattern in nature

• Can be rejected or modified

• Based on repeated observations

• Explains how or why an event occurred

Multiple Select

Check all the statements that apply to a scientific theory.

• States that an event will occur

• A repeatable pattern in nature

• Can be rejected or modified

• Based on repeated observations

• Explains how or why an event occurred

Multiple Choice

Joe tells Gabby his theory about why sea turtles nest on the beach instead of in the ocean. He says, “The turtle eggs would sink to the bottom of the ocean, and the baby turtle would drown. I know this because my uncle is a fisherman, and he told me this information. Gabby tells Joe that his theory is not scientific. Why does Joe’s idea not meet the requirements to be a scientific theory?

• Joe’s idea is already a scientific law.

• Joe’s idea is not supported by scientific evidence.

• Joe’s idea is a good guess that can be tested by experiments.

• Joe and his uncle are not scientists.

Multiple Choice

Theory or Law???  Predicts what will happen in the natural world.

• Law

• Theory

Multiple Choice

Theory or Law???  Changes with new observations.

• Theory

• Law

Multiple Choice

Theory or Law???  Is a DESCRIPTION of what a scientists expects to happen every time under a certain set of conditions.

• Law

• Theory

Multiple Choice

Theory or Law???  Is a well-tested EXPLANATION for a wide range of observations and experimental results.

• Law

• Theory

Multiple Choice

Theory or Law???  Explanation of a wide range of observations?

• Theory

• Law

Multiple Choice

Theory or Law???  Is a well-tested EXPLANATION for a wide range of observations and experimental results.

• Law

• Theory

Multiple Choice

In 1897, Joseph Thomson discovered that atoms contained electrons. He proposed a change in the atomic theory of that time, and the theory was modified because of his discovery. Since Thomson’s discovery, atomic theory has been further modified. What is the best explanation for why scientific theories are modified?

• Theories more than ten years old are usually out of date.

• Scientists want to prove that the work of other scientists is wrong.

• New evidence that supports a change prompts scientists to modify earlier theories.

• So much information is available today that it is harder to focus research and disprove theories.

Multiple Choice

Scientific theories are based on

• general assumptions of how systems work.

• mathematical principles that can be proven true.

• large amounts of data collected over time.

• observations from within only one scientific discipline.

Multiple Choice

Scientific theories do not change once they have been written down.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Which of these can change when new evidence is presented?

• theory

• law

Multiple Choice

Which of these describes a natural phenomenon or relationship that always occurs under specific conditions

• theory

• law

Multiple Choice

Which of these can be represented mathematically and provide no explanation why a phenomenon occurs?

• theory

• law

Multiple Choice

Scientists create both scientific theories and scientific laws as they make observations and conduct experiments about the natural world. Which of the following statements most accurately compares the difference between scientific theories and scientific laws

• science laws are based on evidence while science theories are not

• science theories involve only biology, while laws involve all types of science

• science theories involve mathematical equations, while science laws are based on observations

• science theories are ideas that explain natural events, while science laws predict what will happen in a natural event.

Multiple Choice

Scientific theories can be tested.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Kalinda was trying to explain to her friend the difference between a theory and a law in science.  She used the theory of plate tectonics and the law of superposition as examples.  Kalinda explained the difference by using nonscientific language.  Which statement did Kalinda use to correctly describe the difference between a theory and a law in science?

• A theory describes a natural event, while a law explains it.

• A theory explains a natural event, while a law predicts it.

• A theory explains a natural event, while a law describes it.

• A theory predicts a natural event, while a law explains it.

Multiple Choice

Species on earth have changed over time because some organisms are more likely to survive and to reproduce, passing favorable traits to their offspring.

• hypothesis

• theory

• law

Multiple Choice

e=mc²

• hypothesis

• theory

• law

Multiple Choice

Force = Mass x Acceleration

• hypothesis

• theory

• law

Multiple Choice

Evolution is the widely held notion that all life is related and has descended from a common ancestor: the birds and the bananas, the fishes and the flowers
 -- all related That is, complex creatures evolve from more simplistic ancestors naturally over time.

• Fact

• Theory

• Law

Multiple Choice

Once a theory has been tested and confirmed it cannot be changed.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Before a scientific theory is accepted and supported, it has

• been tested by only one scientist.

• been published in scientific journals.

• been tested many times by different scientists.

• been approved by the International Committee of Scientists.