CFE Theory vs Law

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

• Law
• Theory

Theory or Law???  Changes with new observations. (a)  

• Theory
• Law

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

• Theory
• Law

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-2

NGSS.HS-LS4-1

NGSS.HS-LS4-2

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.

Which of these explain how a natural phenomenon works or happens? (a)  

• theory
• law

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-2

NGSS.HS-LS4-2

NGSS.HS-ESS1-3

NGSS.HS-PS1-2

NGSS.HS-PS2-5

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

• True
• False

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.

Lilly 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. Lilli explained the difference by using non-scientific language. Which statement could Lilly 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.

• Scientific Theory

• Scientific Law

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS2-4

• Scientific Theory

• Scientific Law

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS3-2