Answer
A scientific fact is information or an observation that can be independently verified by a trained investigator,
A scientific law is a generalization expressing predictable ways in which matter and energy behave; it is
based on repeated and confirmed observations.
An example is Boyle's Law ( Boyle -Mariotte) that states, " the volume of a gas is inversely
proportional to its pressure :
P1V1=P2V2 OR
PV=k where k is a constant
Another example is, "All living living things exist as cells"
A theory is a generalization based on facts, laws, and confirmed hypotheses.
Examples of theories : Evolution by natural selection; the cell theory; the theory of general relativity,
and the plate tectonics theory.
A theory serves the following purposes : it expresses in concise terms what we already know; suggests directions for further study, and predicts findings if the theory is not false.
Work Step by Step
Meaning of "law".
a. Common meaning: a rule made by a community group in control of people that must be obeyed
under penalty of punishment
b. Scientific law: A description of a principle that governs the working of the universe
Meanings of Hypothesis:
a. Lay meaning: A guess or conjecture
b. Scientific meaning: A summary of conclusions drawn from many observed facts.
