What is a scientific law?

• A. A statement that describes a consistent and universal relationship observed in nature.
• B. A tentative explanation for a phenomenon.
• C. A tested hypothesis.
• D. A mathematical theorem.

Answer: (A)

A scientific law describes a consistent and universal relationship observed in nature. It’s a concise statement, often expressed mathematically, that captures how certain variables relate to one another under specific conditions and is supported by extensive evidence from repeated observations and experiments. A law does not explain why the relationship exists—that role belongs to theories. It is more established than a tentative explanation or a single tested hypothesis, and it isn’t a mathematical theorem, which is proven within a purely mathematical system. For example, Boyle's law shows how pressure and volume relate inversely for a gas at constant temperature, and Newton's law of gravitation describes a universal relationship between mass and the gravitational force.