Final answer:
A law of nature describes what happens under certain conditions, often with a mathematical equation, while a theory explains how or why something happens, backed by extensive testing and evidence. The distinction is key in scientific inquiry.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Scientific Laws vs. Scientific Theories
When your friend mentions a new 'law of nature', you can infer that this law is a concise statement about a universally consistent relationship in nature that has been repeatedly confirmed by experiments and observations. A scientific law differs from a theory in that a law describes what happens under certain conditions, while a theory explains how or why it happens. Laws are often expressed using mathematical equations and have few exceptions, if any.
On the other hand, if they had said they learned about a new scientific theory, you could expect to hear about a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world that has been repeatedly tested and confirmed through observation and experimentation. Theories unify a broad range of observations and laws, providing an explanatory framework for understanding them. It's important to note that in science, theories are not mere guesses but are based on extensive evidence and can predict the results of future observations.
Why does this matter? Understanding the distinction is crucial since it shapes our expectations of the information provided. Additionally, it highlights the process of scientific inquiry, which builds on measurable evidence to distinguish between what we observe and how we understand it.