It is necessary to investigate the circumstances of the accident in detail.
契約の態様によって対応が異なる。
The response differs depending on the terms of the contract.
様子 refers to the appearance or visible state of something, while 態様 is more abstract and formal.
Standard kanji spelling for this formal noun.
Variant kanji spelling; less common than 態様.
Compound of 態 (state, condition) and 様 (appearance, way). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the spelling is conventionally associated with formal descriptions of states or circumstances.