Final answer:
A scientific theory is a comprehensive explanation for a set of observations or phenomena that is widely accepted and supported by a large body of evidence from multiple experiments, while a scientific law summarizes relationships in nature often in a mathematical way.
Step-by-step explanation:
An explanation of "why" or "how" based on many experimental results is called a theory. A scientific theory is a well-substantiated, comprehensive, testable explanation of particular aspects of nature. It is a step beyond a hypothesis, which is a tentative explanation that is tested by further investigation. If the hypothesis is confirmed through repeated experimentation and is capable of explaining a large body of experimental data, it may be elevated to the status of a theory. Scientific theories are widely accepted because they provide satisfactory explanations, although they can be modified in light of new data. On the other hand, a scientific law is a statement that summarizes the relationship between variables and is often expressed in the form of a mathematical formula.