Biology For Dummies

Introduction 1

Part 1: Biology Basics 5

Chapter 1: Exploring the Living World 7

Chapter 2: How Life Is Studied 13

Chapter 3: The Chemistry of Life 29

Chapter 4: The Living Cell 49

Chapter 5: Acquiring Energy to Run the Motor 67

Part 2: Let's Talk about Sex, Baby: Cell Reproduction and Genetics 81

Chapter 6: Dividing to Conquer: Cell Division 83

Chapter 7: Making Mendel Proud: Understanding Genetics 103

Chapter 8: Reading the Book of Life: DNA and Proteins 119

Chapter 9: Engineering the Code: DNA Technology 135

Part 3: It's a Small, Interconnected World 155

Chapter 10: Exploring the Living World: Biodiversity and Classification 157

Chapter 11: Observing How Organisms Get Along 173

Chapter 12: Evolving Species in an Ever-Changing World 197

Part 4: Systems Galore! Animal Structure and Function 217

Chapter 13: Pondering the Principles of Physiology 219

Chapter 14: Moving and Shaking: Skeletal and Muscular Systems 227

Chapter 15: Going with the Flow: Respiratory and Circulatory Systems 239

Chapter 16: Checking Out the Plumbing: Animal Digestive and Excretory Systems 259

Chapter 17: Fighting Back: Human Defenses 277

Chapter 18: The Nervous and Endocrine Systems, Messengers Extraordinaire 295

Chapter 19: Reproduction 101: Making More Animals 313

Part 5: It's Not Easy Being Green: Plant Structure and Function 337

Chapter 20: Living the Life of a Plant 339

Chapter 21: Probing into Plant Physiology 351

Part 6: The Part of Tens 361

Chapter 22: Ten Great Biology Discoveries 363

Chapter 23: Ten Ways Biology Affects Your Life 369

Index 375