Scientific theories and laws are both important in science, but they serve different purposes. Which of the following best describes the key difference between a scientific theory and a law?(1 point) Responses Theories explain why something happens, while laws describe what happens under certain conditions. Theories explain why something happens, while laws describe what happens under certain conditions. Laws are usually expressed mathematically, while theories are not. Laws are usually expressed mathematically, while theories are not. Theories are more tentative than laws. Theories are more tentative than laws. Theories are always based on experiments, while laws can be derived from observations.

1 answer

The response that best describes the key difference between a scientific theory and a law is: Theories explain why something happens, while laws describe what happens under certain conditions.

This clearly captures the essence of how theories provide explanations for phenomena (offering insights into underlying mechanisms), while laws generally summarize observed patterns in nature (often represented in concise statements).