Which statement is evidence justifying why Bode’s law was considered a scientific law and not a theory?(1 point)
Responses
Bode’s law is now considered a mathematical curiosity.
Certain planets did not fit the pattern described by Bode’s law.
Bode’s law described a pattern without explaining why the pattern occurred.
Limits and restrictions apply to Bode’s law.
Bode’s law described a pattern without explaining why the pattern occurred.
To determine which statement justifies why Bode's law was considered a scientific law and not a theory, we need to evaluate each response.
1. "Bode’s law is now considered a mathematical curiosity." - This statement suggests that Bode's law is no longer considered a scientific law, which goes against the question's premise.
2. "Certain planets did not fit the pattern described by Bode’s law." - This statement implies that there were exceptions to the pattern described by Bode's law. This observation of inconsistencies with the law supports the idea that Bode's law was not universally applicable and thus could not be considered a scientific law.
3. "Bode’s law described a pattern without explaining why the pattern occurred." - This statement highlights an important characteristic of scientific laws. Scientific laws describe observed patterns or phenomena but do not provide an explanation for why those patterns occur. Hence, this statement supports the classification of Bode's law as a scientific law rather than a theory.
4. "Limits and restrictions apply to Bode’s law." - This response emphasizes that there are limitations and restrictions associated with Bode's law. Scientific laws often have certain conditions or constraints under which they are valid or applicable, so this statement supports the idea that Bode's law is a scientific law.
Based on the explanation above, the statement that best justifies why Bode's law was considered a scientific law and not a theory is: "Bode’s law described a pattern without explaining why the pattern occurred."