Hi! The short answer is that "look" is a very general term, but "stare" is a specific type of looking. Staring means you're looking at something for a long time. When you look at something, it could mean you are looking at something for a few seconds or a few minutes. The amount of time doesn't matter when you use "look." For example, you can look at your watch to check the time. But when someone stares at something, it implies that they are looking at something for a long time. For example, if you see someone attractive, you might stare at them because you are admiring their appearance. Or, if someone does something shocking, you might stare at them because you are disgusted or surprised.