Let’s suppose you are a world-famous theoretical physicist, one of the greatest minds of the 20th century. And let’s also suppose that there is a problem with one of your most brilliant ideas, an idea that you yourself have termed “Theory Of Everything” and which you have dedicated your entire life to prove correct. Now, what would you do? If you were Albert Einstein, you would give up on it entirely (as he did until his death). After all, how can a theory become a law if it doesn’t work in practice? And how can we trust a theory that might not be true? But if you were Stephen Hawking instead (and don’t forget that he was born exactly 100 years after Einstein died), then what might your reaction be? If you were Stephen Hawking and not Albert Einstein then.
Can A Theory Become A Law?
A theory can become a law if it is later proven through experimentation to be correct. Theory and law are two different things, though they are related. Theories are explanations of how things work, while laws are descriptions of what has been observed to happen in the world. A theory becomes a law when it is shown to be true through scientific experimentation.
How Can A Theory Become A Law?
1. Experimental Evidence
A law is a description of the way that something in the universe behaves. Laws are found in all areas of science, but they are most prevalent in physics. When physicists observe that some aspect of nature has been working the same way for a long time, they may conclude that it is due to some underlying law. In this case, they have observed evidence that suggests that the behavior they observe is part of some underlying law.
2. Mathematical Proof
Another way to establish a theory as a law is through mathematical proof. For example, Newton’s laws of motion and gravity have been proven by mathematical proof to be true over and over again. Newton’s laws are now known as classical mechanics and describe how objects move under their own weight and with an unchangeable force called “gravitation” acting upon them.
3. Experimental Verification
A third method to make something into a law is through experimental verification. This involves repeated experimentation and observation of the phenomenon in question. The theory is then used to explain the results, and if it does so successfully, then it is declared a law. For example, Newton’s laws of motion and gravity have been verified again and again by repeated experiments.
4. Theory Creation
Not all laws are discovered through scientific experimentation. Many laws can be created by human reasoning over time or through a process of logical deduction. The most famous examples of this are the theories of relativity and quantum mechanics, both created by Albert Einstein (see below).
5. Observational Evidence
The simplest way to establish a fact as a law is to demonstrate it through observation and experimentation. For example, the law of gravity was first observed in 1666 when Sir Isaac Newton dropped a rock from the top of a mountain into a valley below. The rock dropped straight down until it hit the ground; then it bounced up into the air and fell straight back down again at exactly the same spot on the ground that it started from (this is called an “inertial trajectory”). From this experiment we can conclude that objects in motion will continue in motion unless acted upon by an external force. This is a simple fact that was demonstrated through observation and experimentation.
6. Historical Records
Another way to establish a fact as a law is through historical records. The discovery of the laws of motion and gravity were recorded in ancient Greek and Roman texts that predate the scientific revolution. These texts contained the same basic information about nature, but they did not have the same level of explanatory detail that we find with Newton’s laws today (see below).
7. Observation and Experimentation
The most common ways to demonstrate a fact as a law are through observation and experimentation (see above) or historical records (see above). These two methods are very effective in demonstrating how things work, but they are not always easy to do or understand. For example, it is difficult to observe how light behaves when it travels at high speeds because our eyes cannot detect such small speeds; it appears as if light is standing still. Similarly, we cannot perform experiments that are too large or too small to be observed and measured by our senses. These limits can be overcome with the help of scientific instruments that measure and observe physical phenomena at ever-increasing levels of detail (see below).
8. Scientific Instrumentation
A great deal of progress in science occurs through the use of scientific instruments, which are tools that are used to observe and measure natural phenomena. For example, a scientist might use a telescope to observe distant objects in the night sky, or a seismograph to record earthquakes on Earth’s surface. The tools listed below all help scientists study different aspects of nature at ever-increasing levels of detail.
9. Scientific Theory
The key to understanding the laws of nature is to understand their underlying scientific theory (see below). This theory is a set of principles that explains how things work, based on the evidence we have collected through observation and experimentation (see above). It provides a way of explaining how things happen, rather than haphazard observations. For example, Newton’s theory of gravity explains why objects fall to the ground after being thrown upward in the air (see above).
10. Scientific Revolution
Newton’s laws were not discovered by an individual genius or a single group but were developed by many different scientists over several centuries. This process is called the scientific revolution; it involves several key innovations that have enabled modern science (see below). These include:
Why Is The Scientific Method So Important?
1. It has limitations
The scientific method is an effective way to understand how things work, but it has limitations. For example, it is not possible to observe or measure things that are too small to be seen or measured (see above). It also does not provide an explanation for how things may not appear to function as we expect. For example, it does not explain why some things seem to break apart when they are struck by another object; the theory of quantum mechanics provides an explanation for this (see below).
2. “Models” and “Theories”
In science, a model is a simplified way of representing how something works (see above). Models are used in many different fields of science, including biology and chemistry. A theory is a set of principles that can be used to explain the behavior of something. For example, the theory of evolution explains how living organisms have changed over time by using models and theories based on observed facts about living organisms and their environment (see above).
3. Scientific method
The scientific method involves three steps: observation, experimentation and hypothesis testing (see above). This process is repeated until a theory is formed that can explain how the natural world works. It provides an explanation for how things function and why they behave as they do.
4. Use it or lose it
In order to continue to make new discoveries, scientists must use the scientific method (see above). If a scientist does not continue to test their theories against new evidence, then their knowledge may become outdated and need to be replaced by newer theories.
5. Pre-Scientific Knowledge
Before the scientific method was developed, scientists relied on the “prior knowledge” of their culture or society (see above). For example, ancient Greek philosophers believed that the earth was flat; this was based on their prior knowledge of what they knew about geography (e.g., mountains were mountains and rivers were rivers).
6. False assumptions
Certain assumptions are made before conducting a scientific experiment; these are called “false assumptions” (see above). For example, the false assumption that heat will always flow from hot to cold objects is an example of a false assumption that is used in science. For example, it was assumed that the same rules apply to all objects, including light and sound.
7. Scientific theories
Scientific theories are based on observation and experimentation (see above). Scientists then use these observations and experiments to form a theory about how something works (see above). Theories explain how things function by using models and models to explain observations and experiments.
Conclusion
Theories can be very exciting and they can even be used to explain the world around us. But they have to be treated as what they are: just theories. And when it comes down to it, they are not the same thing as laws. A theory only becomes a law when the assumptions on which it is based turn out to be facts. And the good news is that since the 20th century, a lot of theories have become laws. This can only be a good thing and it can only lead to greater progress.
