Question

What is the difference between the following 2 statements? Statement A: The finches on the Galapagos Islands, which have different beak shapes adapted to their specific diets, exemplify how species can evolve distinct traits in response to their environment. Statement B: The gravitational attraction between the Earth and an apple, which causes the apple to fall from a tree to the ground, is expressed by Sir Isaac Newton's description of the gravitational force between two objects. (1 point) Responses Both statements are scientific theories. Both statements are scientific theories. Statement A is a law and Statement B is a theory. Statement A is a law and Statement B is a theory. Both statements are scientific laws. Both statements are scientific laws. Statement A is a theory and Statement B is a law.

Answer 1

The correct response to the difference between Statement A and Statement B is: Statement A is a theory and Statement B is a law.

• Statement A describes the concept of evolution through natural selection, which is a scientific theory explaining how finches have adapted given their environments.
• Statement B describes the force of gravity, which is expressed in a mathematical form (Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation) and is considered a scientific law, explaining observable phenomena.

Thus, the fundamental difference is that Statement A pertains to a theory explaining a process in biology, while Statement B relates to a law in physics that quantitatively describes the behavior of gravitational forces.