What is the primary difference between a major scale and a minor scale?

The primary difference between a major and minor scale is in the positioning of the tones and semitones that make up the scale. Both scales have eight notes. In the standard harmonic minor scale, the semitones occur between the 2nd and 3rd notes of the scale, whilst in the major scale, the semitones occur between the 3rd and 4th notes, and the 7th and 8th notes.