Question

describe the differences between beliefs, hypotheses, laws, and theories.

Answer 1

hyptheses: are educated guesses.

Laws: are something that is a fact and will always happen like the law of gravity

Theories: are based on hypothesis's and are backed up by evidense and can become a law if proven.

beliefs: Don't really know but I guess its something like the belief in a myth like Bigfoot. Something that really hasn't been proven. Hope this helps :)

Answer 2

This site does a good job of summarizing the definitions you'd find in any science-related textbook:

http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistry101/a/lawtheory.htm

It states:
"Hypothesis - A hypothesis is an educated guess, based on observation. Usually, a hypothesis can be supported or refuted through experimentation or more observation. A hypothesis can be disproven, but not proven to be true.

Theory - A scientific theory summarizes a hypothesis or group of hypotheses that have been supported with repeated testing. A theory is valid as long as there is no evidence to dispute it. Therefore, theories can be disproven. Basically, if evidence accumulates to support a hypothesis, then the hypothesis can become accepted as a good explanation of a phenomenon. One definition of a theory is to say it's an accepted hypothesis.

Law - A law generalizes a body of observations. At the time it is made, no exceptions have been found to a law. Scientific laws explain things, but they do not describe them. One way to tell a law and a theory apart is to ask if the description gives you a means to explain 'why'."

A belief is defined as something a person accepts as true or real; a firmly held opinion or conviction. Beliefs can be based on evidence, personal feelings and experiences, observations, religion, whatever... However, beliefs don't really have much value in science unless they are backed up using scientific methods to prove that they are true.

Answer 3

thanks to you both haha lol could you possibly check out my next question? lol it would be much help, thank you again. lol :)