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How do scientific theories differ from scientific laws?

User Phlegx
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Theories are explanations for why things happen, and they're backed up by scientific evidence. Laws are descriptions of how things work, and are based on observation. Theories are used to try to explain laws, and because of that, Theories can't become laws.

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User Outofmind
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A scientific law tries to describe the behavior of something often through mathematical calculations but doesn't tell why something works while a scientific theory tries to describe why something works through experimentation and observation.
User Richard Dally
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