General Biology Lab for Nonmajors
Edition: 1
Copyright: 2026
Pages: 170
Edition: 1
Copyright: 2026
Pages: 170
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One only has to perform a quick online search for biology lab manuals to realize the sheer quantity of different manuals available. Most are written with the intent to cover as many topics as possible in the broadest manner possible, so that they may be potentially useful for the greatest number of instructors and students. However, a common complaint among both instructors and students alike is that they are then purchasing a book that contains more content and information than there is time for them to cover in a single semester.
General Biology Lab for Nonmajors, therefore, was originally designed with the intent to customize the content for not only the topics covered in our Nonmajors General biology course, but also with the specific tools used by students in our labs. However, we believe this manual will be equally beneficial to instructors and students at other institutions as well, given that many other colleges and universities also have the same challenges finding a text that best fits their needs. Each laboratory exercise begins with a list of the expected learning outcomes to be addressed in the lab. Most exercises contain a portion of material intended to be completed prior to the completion of the lab, allowing students to become familiar with important terminology and safety information, while the remainder of the lab exercises are intended to provide students with a combination of specific hands-on and and online activities designed to allow students to practice using the main concepts they are learning about in their lectures.
Acknowledgments
Lab Exercise 1 Laboratory Orientation and Laboratory Safety
General Laboratory Safety Rules
Why Is Preparing for Lab Ahead of Time So Important?
What Is Lab-Appropriate Attire?
What Is Personal Protective Equipment?
Safety in Numbers
Rules on Food and Drink in the Laboratory
Injuries in the Lab
Cleanup of Chemical Spills and/or Broken Glass
Use of the Emergency Eyewash
When and How to Evacuate the Laboratory
Where to Find Laboratory Materials
Student Laboratory Safety Guidelines and Agreement
Lab Exercise 2 Scientific Method and Graphing
PART A: Scientific Method
PART B: Graphing
Types of Data
Types of Graphs
Graphing Practice
Data Analyses/Conclusions
Lab Exercise 3 Scientific Measurements and Conversions
Lab Glassware and Equipment
Beakers
Erlenmeyer Flasks
Graduated Cylinders
Test Tubes
Droppers
Transfer Pipettes
Microscope Slides and Coverslips
Test Tube Racks
Test Tube Clamps and Wire Brushes
Digital Scale
Rulers and Metersticks
Thermometers
Units of Metric Measurement and Temperature
How to Use a Conversion Table
Length
Mass/Weight
Volume
Temperature
Additional Practice Calculation Problems
Lab Exercise 4 Biological Molecules and Basic Metabolic Reactions
Terminology Regarding Basic Metabolic Reactions
Carbohydrates
Modeling the Dehydration Synthesis and Hydrolysis of a Trisaccharide
Polypeptides/Proteins
Modeling the Dehydration Synthesis and Hydrolysis of a Tripeptide
Lipids
Modeling the Dehydration Synthesis and Hydrolysis of a Triglyceride
Testing for the Presence of Monomers and Polymers of Biological Molecules
PART A—Testing for the Presence or Absence of Reducing Sugars
PART B—Testing for the Presence or Absence of Starch
PART C—Testing for the Presence or Absence of Proteins or Short Peptides
PART D—Testing for the Presence or Absence of Lipids
Lab Exercise 5 Membrane Structure and Movement of Molecules
Instructions
Completion of the Online Lab Exercise
Review Questions
Lab Exercise 6 Microscopy and Cell Structure and Function
Parts of the Compound Light Microscope
Parts of the Dissecting Microscope (Stereoscope)
Calculating Total Magnifying Power of Objectives
How Is the Image of a Specimen We See Created?
What Is Inversion and What Does It Look Like?
Why Is the Image of a Specimen Viewed with a Stereoscope NOT Inverted?
Why Is Only Fine Focus Adjustment Needed as Magnification Increases?
Effects of Magnification on Working Distance, Field of View, and Light Intensity
Using the Microscope to Examine Different Cell Types
Examining Bacterial Cells versus Human Epithelial Cells
Structures of Plant versus Animal Cells
Oscillatoria versus Spirogyra
Lab Exercise 7 Cellular Respiration and Fermentation
Aerobic Cellular Respiration
Using Seeds to Observe and Measure Aerobic Cellular Respiration
Fermentation
Measuring Fermentation in Yeast Cells
Lab Exercise 8 Photosynthesis
Instructions
Completion of the Online Lab Exercise
Review Questions
Lab Exercise 9 DNA and RNA Structure and Modeling DNA Replication
Structure of DNA and RNA Nucleotides
Nucleotides
DNA Nucleotides
Structure of DNA and RNA Molecules
Double-Stranded DNA
Enzymes Required for DNA Replication/DNA Synthesis
Modeling DNA Replication
Lab Exercise 10 Protein Structure and Modeling Protein Synthesis
Protein Structure
Steps in Protein Synthesis
Modeling Transcription of Protein Synthesis
Genetic Code (Table of Codons)
Modeling Translation of Protein Synthesis
Lab Exercise 11 Cell Cycle, Mitosis, and Meiosis Bead Simulation
Cell Cycle and Mitosis
Interphase
Mitosis
Practicing Mitosis
Meiosis
Steps in Meiosis I
Steps in Meiosis II
Practicing Meiosis
Comparing Mitosis and Meiosis
Lab Exercise 12 Inheritance
Information About the Mechanism of Inheritance of Each Trait
Procedure 1: Determination of the Genotype and Phenotype for Each Trait for the Female Monster
Procedure 2: Determination of the Genotype and Phenotype for Each Trait of the Male Monster
Procedure 3: Results of the Cross between the Male and Female Monsters for Each Trait
Conclusions
Lab Exercise 13 Comparative Anatomy (Earthworm and Frog Dissection)
Germ Layers and Tissues of Animals
Anatomical Terminology
External Anatomy of the Earthworm
Dissection
Digestive System
Reproductive System (Internal Structures)
Circulatory and Excretory System
Introduction to the Frog
External Anatomy of the Frog
Dissection
Digestive System
Respiratory System
Reproductive and Excretory Systems (Internal Structures)
Circulatory System
Lab Exercise 14 Investigation of Mass Extinctions (Using the HHMI BioInteractive Earth Viewer Application)
Instructions
End-Ordovician Extinction
Late-Devonian Extinction
End-Permian Extinction
End-Triassic Extinction
End-Cretaceous Extinction