A law is defined as a description or a statement given after an observed phenomenon. A theory is a simplification of certain observational data as to how and why it happened.
Further Explanation:
Many people believe that when certain evidence supports a hypothesis, it is upgraded into a theory whereas when theory is proved to be correct, it is reformed into a law. But this is a misconception. The theories, laws, or hypotheses are all separate or different parts of a scientific procedure. They might evolve but do not get upgraded into one another.
A mathematical description of a phenomenon is termed as law. A law describes observable data and not how and why it occurred. For example, Mendel’s Law of Independent Assortment. According to this law, the two genes governing two different traits are independent of each other and would express independently in different offspring. It gives a generalized statement according to the observations recorded and explains on what basis the observations are framed. Law is a universal fact that can never be denied with the passage of time.
The theory provides the most possible logical explanation about how and why the certain characteristic has been observed. It might explain how dominant and recessive genes play a role in determining the red hair color of a child of parents with brown hair. For example, Mendel’s laws were explained only after the discovery of chromosomes and DNA. The theory of chromosomal inheritance explains the outcome of the Law of Independent Assortment. This implies that the theory provides a generalized reason behind every law. A theory may be regarded as strong if it is supported by a large number of evidence whereas a weak theory is the one with the least accuracy in its prediction. A theory might become out-dated over a period of time and might be replaced by another theory with better evidence.
Learn More:
1. Learn more about meiosis link
2. Learn more about the process of molecular diffusion in a cell link
3. Learn more about human sperm and egg cell link
Answer Details:
Grade: High School
Chapter: Theory vs Law
Subject: Biology
Keywords:
Theory, explanation, evidence, law, description, observational data, universal, hypothesis.
