Question

what is the difference between scientific theory and scientific law?

Answer 1

A scientific LAW basically explains HOW something happens, in nature.
It DOESN'T explain WHY.

For example,
Isaac Newton's First Law of Motion tells us that...
an object in motion tends to stay in motion, unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.

In other words,
something that is moving will keep moving,
until something else slows it down, or stops it.

See how this law explains HOW it happens?
But it doesn't tell us WHY.
Laws don't tell us WHY.

Another big thing is that laws don't change.
They're not up for debate. They can't be challenged. They are absolute.

~~~~~~~~~

On the other hand,
a THEORY is something that explains WHY something happens.

For example,
the Germ Theory of Disease tells us that infectious diseases happen because of germs that invade our bodies, and take over our cells, release toxins that kill our cells, eat our cells, etc.

LAWS are unchanged.

THEORIES, on the other hand, CAN change.

We use to believe that infectious diseases were caused by "bad air."
That was called the Miasma Theory of Disease.
But that was disproven, and eventually replaced.

Answer 2

Thank you so much. That helped a lot!

Answer 3

No problem.