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Investigating Biology: An Introduction to the Tools and Techniques of a Biologist: Volume I

Investigating Biology: An Introduction to the Tools and Techniques of a Biologist: Volume I

Author(s): Paul Luyster

Edition: 2

Copyright: 2022

Edition: 3

Copyright: 2026

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ISBN 9798765782736

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This is the lab manual for Biology I, the first semester of a two-semester General Biology course for science majors.

There is so much more to biology than memorizing facts in a textbook. The fun part of biology is actually doing it! This laboratory course is designed to help you develop the hands-on skills of a biologist using the tools found in a typical, modern biology lab.

Each of the exercises in this manual begins with background information to help you understand a core concept of biology. You will then be presented with a question or problem related to that concept. The lab exercise will guide you as you use the scientific method, laboratory tools and standard protocols to answer that question or solve that problem. Throughout the course you will also evaluate scientific information, dig into primary research, use a lab notebook, collect and interpret quantitative data, and practice writing scientific reports.

As you work through this manual you will learn skills that you may use again in future classes, graduate school or in a professional setting. Your manual will become a portfolio of the skills you learn as well as a record of the protocols you master. You may find it valuable reference as you take advanced biology lab courses in the future.  

Introduction 
Acknowledgments 
About the Author 

Lab 1 An Introduction to the Biology Laboratory 
Lab Skill 1.1 Interpreting Lab Safety Symbols 
Lab Skill 1.2 Keeping a Lab Notebook 
Lab Skill 1.3 Measuring Liquids with Different Lab Equipment 
Lab Skill 1.4 Using a Micropipette 
Pre-Lab Quiz 1 
Problem to Solve 1.1 Can I Use Scientific Reasoning to Solve a Puzzle? 
Problem to Solve 1.2 Can I Accurately Measure Liquids? 
Post-Lab Quiz 1 

Lab 2 Using Chemistry in the Biology Lab 
Lab Skill 2.1 Understanding the Names of Chemical Compounds 
Lab Skill 2.2 Creating a Solution with a Specific Concentration 
Lab Skill 2.3 Creating Dilutions of a Specific Volume 
Lab Skill 2.4 Measure Solute Concentration with a Hydrometer 
Lab Skill 2.5 Calculating pH from Molarity or Molarity from pH 
Pre-Lab Quiz 2 
Problem to Solve 2.1 Can I Make 500 ml of a 0.9% Saline Solution? 
Problem to Solve 2.2 Can I Make Dilute Acid and Base Solutions? 
Post-Lab Quiz 2 

Lab 3 Biochemistry: Chemical Compounds of Living Organisms 
Lab Skill 3.1 Using Indicators to Determine the Presence of Specific Compounds 
Lab Skill 3.2 Managing Heat in the Laboratory 
Pre-Lab Quiz 3 
Problem to Solve 3.1 Can I Observe Enzymes Digesting Macromolecules? 
Post-Lab Quiz 3 

Lab 4 Molecular Biology I: Understanding and Isolating DNA 
Lab Skill 4.1 Using a Benchtop Centrifuge 
Pre-Lab Quiz 4 
Problem to Solve 4.1 Can I Explain the Events of the Cell Cycle? 
Problem to Solve 4.2 Can I Synthesize a Peptide? 
Problem to Solve 4.3 Can I Collect and Isolate My DNA? 
Post-Lab Quiz 4 

Lab 5 Microscopy: Observing Life at the Cellular Level 
Lab Skill 5.1 Properly Using a Light Microscope 
Lab Skill 5.2 Calculating Magnification and Estimating Specimen Size 
Lab Skill 5.3 Using the Oil Immersion Lens 
Lab Skill 5.4 Making a Wet Mount Slide 
Pre-Lab Quiz 5 
Problem to Solve 5.1 Can I Visually Identify Types of Cells? 
Problem to Solve 5.2 Can I Estimate the Size of One Human Cell?
Problem to Solve 5.3 Can I Recognize the Phases of Mitosis? 
Post-Lab Quiz 5 

Lab 6 Cell Biology I: Cellular Membranes and Structures 
Lab Skill 6.1 Using Dialysis Tubing 
Lab Skill 6.2 Using (More) Chemical Indicators 
Pre-Lab Quiz 6 
Problem to Solve 6.1 Can I Predict When Diffusion or Osmosis Will Occur? 
Problem to Solve 6.2 Can I Recognize the Effects of Hypotonic, Hypertonic, and Isotonic Solutions on Cells? 
Post-Lab Quiz 6 

Lab 7 Molecular Biology II: Manipulating DNA 
Lab Skill 7.1 Conducting DNA Gel Electrophoresis 
Lab Skill 7.2 Interpreting Electrophoresis Data 
Pre-Lab Quiz 7 
Problem to Solve 7.1 Can I Predict Restriction Enzyme Recognition Sites? 
Problem to Solve 7.2 Can I Verify Restriction Enzyme Recognition Sites by DNA Electrophoresis? 
Problem to Solve 7.3 Can I Interpret DNA Fingerprint Data? 
Post-Lab Quiz 7 

Lab 8 Cell Biology II: Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration 
Lab Skill 8.1 Separating Compounds Using Paper Chromatography 
Lab Skill 8.2 Using a Spectrophotometer 
Pre-Lab Quiz 8 
Problem to Solve 8.1 Can I Observe Cellular Respiration and Photosynthesis in a Plant? 
Problem to Solve 8.2 Can I Observe Differences in Human CO2 Production? 
Problem to Solve 8.3 Can I Determine the Pigments in a Leaf? 
Problem to Solve 8.4 Can I Create an Absorbance Spectrum for Different Plant Pigment Combinations? 
Problem to Solve 8.5 Can I Explain the Chemistry of Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration? 
Post-Lab Quiz 8 

Lab 9 Cell Biology III: Fermenting Sugar to Produce Alcohol 
Lab Skill 9.1 Preparing for an Experiment 
Lab Skill 9.2 Conducting an Experiment 
Lab Skill 9.3 Graphically Representing Data 
Lab Skill 9.4 Analyzing Data with Statistics 
Pre-Lab Quiz 9 
Problem to Solve 9.1 Can I Conduct an Experiment and Write a Scientific Report? 
Post-Lab Quiz 9 

Lab 10 Genetics I: Meiosis and Promiscuous Alien Sex 
Lab Skill 10.1 Creating and Using Biological Models 
Pre-Lab Quiz 10 
Problem to Solve 10.1 Can I Use a Model to Demonstrate the Phases of Mitosis and Meiosis? 
Problem to Solve 10.2 Can I Model Nondisjunction and Interpret Nondisjunction Karyotypes? 
Problem to Solve 10.3 Can I Simulate Promiscuous Alien Sex? 
Post-Lab Quiz 10 

Lab 11 Genetics II: Understanding Inheritance 
Lab Skill 11.1 Creating a Pedigree 
Lab Skill 11.2 Using a Chi Square Test to Compare Actual Results with Expected Results 
Pre-Lab Quiz 11 
Problem to Solve 11.1 Can I Solve Basic Genetics Problems? 
Problem to Solve 11.2 Can I Determine My Blood Phenotype and Genotype? 
Problem to Solve 11.3 Can I Describe Genetic Characteristics of Humans? 
Problem to Solve 11.4 Can I Determine if Observed Phenotypic Ratios Match Predictions? 
Problem to Solve 11.5 Can I Win the Bloody Game? 
Post-Lab Quiz 11 

Lab 12 Microbiology: Viruses, Bacteria, and Protists 
Lab Skill 12.1 Preventing Microbiological Contamination 
Lab Skill 12.2 Culturing Microbes in a Petri Dish 
Lab Skill 12.3 Preparing a Gram Stain 
Pre-Lab Quiz 12 
Problem to Solve 12.1 Can I Observe the Ubiquity and Diversity of the Microbes Around Me? 
Problem to Solve 12.2 Can I Keep my Classmates from Infecting Me? 
Problem to Solve 12.3 Can I Identify the Types of Bacteria Living in My Mouth? 
Problem to Solve 12.4 Can I Visually Recognize Types of Microbes? 
Post-Lab Quiz 12 

Lab 13 Critical Thinking in the Biological Sciences
Lab Skill 13.1 Finding Good Information 
Lab Skill 13.2 Applying the CRAAP Test to Information 
Lab Skill 13.3 Presenting Good Arguments and Countering Bad Ones 
Lab Skill 13.4 Solving Problems Rationally 
Pre-Lab Quiz 13 
Problem to Solve 13.1 Can I Solve Twenty Brain Twisting Challenges? 
Problem to Solve 13.2 Can I Critically Evaluate Numerical Data? 
Problem to Solve 13.3 Can I Start Thinking Like a Scientist or Medical Professional? 
Problem to Solve 13.4 Can I Analyze an Argument About Bigfoot? 
Problem to Solve 13.5 Can I Identify Medical and Biological Truths, Mysteries, Myths, and Lies? 
Post-Lab Quiz 13 

Appendix A Metric and SI Units 
Appendix B Scientific Notation and Significant Figures 
Appendix C Atoms, Isotopes, and Ions 
Appendix D The Periodic Table of the Elements and How to Use It 
Appendix E How to Write a Scientific Paper 
Appendix F An Application of Stoichiometry and Dimensional Analysis 
Appendix G Values of the Chi Square Distribution

Paul Luyster
Paul Luyster earned his bachelor’s degree from Oral Roberts University, where he studied biology, chemistry, and philosophy. He completed a summer program at the University of Montana Biological Field Station, which is where his passion for biology really developed. He pursued a doctorate in systems ecology at the University of Georgia’s Institute of Ecology and also earned a masters in science education from Piedmont College. He completed a graduate certificate in medical human anatomy and physiology from the University of Florida’s College of Medicine, and he is finishing a PhD in biology at the University of North Texas. He has over 30 years of teaching experience. He has been employed by Tarrant County College in Fort Worth, Texas, since 2004. There, he has taught general biology for science majors, general biology for non-science majors, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, undergraduate biology research, and environmental biology field studies. He has received a number of teaching awards, including the NISOD Excellence Award and the Chancellor’s Quarterly Employee Excellence Award, and he was a finalist for the national Bellwether Award for Teaching. He is an active member of the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society and is a National Academies Education Fellow. He has contributed to a number of print and digital publications, including Mastering A&P. He also sponsors a student organization for pre-nursing students and serves as the lead instructor for the Majors Biology courses at Tarrant County College, South Campus, Fort Worth, TX. Most importantly, Mr. Luyster enjoys getting to know his students and seeing them succeed as they pursue their academic and professional goals.

This is the lab manual for Biology I, the first semester of a two-semester General Biology course for science majors.

There is so much more to biology than memorizing facts in a textbook. The fun part of biology is actually doing it! This laboratory course is designed to help you develop the hands-on skills of a biologist using the tools found in a typical, modern biology lab.

Each of the exercises in this manual begins with background information to help you understand a core concept of biology. You will then be presented with a question or problem related to that concept. The lab exercise will guide you as you use the scientific method, laboratory tools and standard protocols to answer that question or solve that problem. Throughout the course you will also evaluate scientific information, dig into primary research, use a lab notebook, collect and interpret quantitative data, and practice writing scientific reports.

As you work through this manual you will learn skills that you may use again in future classes, graduate school or in a professional setting. Your manual will become a portfolio of the skills you learn as well as a record of the protocols you master. You may find it valuable reference as you take advanced biology lab courses in the future.  

Introduction 
Acknowledgments 
About the Author 

Lab 1 An Introduction to the Biology Laboratory 
Lab Skill 1.1 Interpreting Lab Safety Symbols 
Lab Skill 1.2 Keeping a Lab Notebook 
Lab Skill 1.3 Measuring Liquids with Different Lab Equipment 
Lab Skill 1.4 Using a Micropipette 
Pre-Lab Quiz 1 
Problem to Solve 1.1 Can I Use Scientific Reasoning to Solve a Puzzle? 
Problem to Solve 1.2 Can I Accurately Measure Liquids? 
Post-Lab Quiz 1 

Lab 2 Using Chemistry in the Biology Lab 
Lab Skill 2.1 Understanding the Names of Chemical Compounds 
Lab Skill 2.2 Creating a Solution with a Specific Concentration 
Lab Skill 2.3 Creating Dilutions of a Specific Volume 
Lab Skill 2.4 Measure Solute Concentration with a Hydrometer 
Lab Skill 2.5 Calculating pH from Molarity or Molarity from pH 
Pre-Lab Quiz 2 
Problem to Solve 2.1 Can I Make 500 ml of a 0.9% Saline Solution? 
Problem to Solve 2.2 Can I Make Dilute Acid and Base Solutions? 
Post-Lab Quiz 2 

Lab 3 Biochemistry: Chemical Compounds of Living Organisms 
Lab Skill 3.1 Using Indicators to Determine the Presence of Specific Compounds 
Lab Skill 3.2 Managing Heat in the Laboratory 
Pre-Lab Quiz 3 
Problem to Solve 3.1 Can I Observe Enzymes Digesting Macromolecules? 
Post-Lab Quiz 3 

Lab 4 Molecular Biology I: Understanding and Isolating DNA 
Lab Skill 4.1 Using a Benchtop Centrifuge 
Pre-Lab Quiz 4 
Problem to Solve 4.1 Can I Explain the Events of the Cell Cycle? 
Problem to Solve 4.2 Can I Synthesize a Peptide? 
Problem to Solve 4.3 Can I Collect and Isolate My DNA? 
Post-Lab Quiz 4 

Lab 5 Microscopy: Observing Life at the Cellular Level 
Lab Skill 5.1 Properly Using a Light Microscope 
Lab Skill 5.2 Calculating Magnification and Estimating Specimen Size 
Lab Skill 5.3 Using the Oil Immersion Lens 
Lab Skill 5.4 Making a Wet Mount Slide 
Pre-Lab Quiz 5 
Problem to Solve 5.1 Can I Visually Identify Types of Cells? 
Problem to Solve 5.2 Can I Estimate the Size of One Human Cell?
Problem to Solve 5.3 Can I Recognize the Phases of Mitosis? 
Post-Lab Quiz 5 

Lab 6 Cell Biology I: Cellular Membranes and Structures 
Lab Skill 6.1 Using Dialysis Tubing 
Lab Skill 6.2 Using (More) Chemical Indicators 
Pre-Lab Quiz 6 
Problem to Solve 6.1 Can I Predict When Diffusion or Osmosis Will Occur? 
Problem to Solve 6.2 Can I Recognize the Effects of Hypotonic, Hypertonic, and Isotonic Solutions on Cells? 
Post-Lab Quiz 6 

Lab 7 Molecular Biology II: Manipulating DNA 
Lab Skill 7.1 Conducting DNA Gel Electrophoresis 
Lab Skill 7.2 Interpreting Electrophoresis Data 
Pre-Lab Quiz 7 
Problem to Solve 7.1 Can I Predict Restriction Enzyme Recognition Sites? 
Problem to Solve 7.2 Can I Verify Restriction Enzyme Recognition Sites by DNA Electrophoresis? 
Problem to Solve 7.3 Can I Interpret DNA Fingerprint Data? 
Post-Lab Quiz 7 

Lab 8 Cell Biology II: Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration 
Lab Skill 8.1 Separating Compounds Using Paper Chromatography 
Lab Skill 8.2 Using a Spectrophotometer 
Pre-Lab Quiz 8 
Problem to Solve 8.1 Can I Observe Cellular Respiration and Photosynthesis in a Plant? 
Problem to Solve 8.2 Can I Observe Differences in Human CO2 Production? 
Problem to Solve 8.3 Can I Determine the Pigments in a Leaf? 
Problem to Solve 8.4 Can I Create an Absorbance Spectrum for Different Plant Pigment Combinations? 
Problem to Solve 8.5 Can I Explain the Chemistry of Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration? 
Post-Lab Quiz 8 

Lab 9 Cell Biology III: Fermenting Sugar to Produce Alcohol 
Lab Skill 9.1 Preparing for an Experiment 
Lab Skill 9.2 Conducting an Experiment 
Lab Skill 9.3 Graphically Representing Data 
Lab Skill 9.4 Analyzing Data with Statistics 
Pre-Lab Quiz 9 
Problem to Solve 9.1 Can I Conduct an Experiment and Write a Scientific Report? 
Post-Lab Quiz 9 

Lab 10 Genetics I: Meiosis and Promiscuous Alien Sex 
Lab Skill 10.1 Creating and Using Biological Models 
Pre-Lab Quiz 10 
Problem to Solve 10.1 Can I Use a Model to Demonstrate the Phases of Mitosis and Meiosis? 
Problem to Solve 10.2 Can I Model Nondisjunction and Interpret Nondisjunction Karyotypes? 
Problem to Solve 10.3 Can I Simulate Promiscuous Alien Sex? 
Post-Lab Quiz 10 

Lab 11 Genetics II: Understanding Inheritance 
Lab Skill 11.1 Creating a Pedigree 
Lab Skill 11.2 Using a Chi Square Test to Compare Actual Results with Expected Results 
Pre-Lab Quiz 11 
Problem to Solve 11.1 Can I Solve Basic Genetics Problems? 
Problem to Solve 11.2 Can I Determine My Blood Phenotype and Genotype? 
Problem to Solve 11.3 Can I Describe Genetic Characteristics of Humans? 
Problem to Solve 11.4 Can I Determine if Observed Phenotypic Ratios Match Predictions? 
Problem to Solve 11.5 Can I Win the Bloody Game? 
Post-Lab Quiz 11 

Lab 12 Microbiology: Viruses, Bacteria, and Protists 
Lab Skill 12.1 Preventing Microbiological Contamination 
Lab Skill 12.2 Culturing Microbes in a Petri Dish 
Lab Skill 12.3 Preparing a Gram Stain 
Pre-Lab Quiz 12 
Problem to Solve 12.1 Can I Observe the Ubiquity and Diversity of the Microbes Around Me? 
Problem to Solve 12.2 Can I Keep my Classmates from Infecting Me? 
Problem to Solve 12.3 Can I Identify the Types of Bacteria Living in My Mouth? 
Problem to Solve 12.4 Can I Visually Recognize Types of Microbes? 
Post-Lab Quiz 12 

Lab 13 Critical Thinking in the Biological Sciences
Lab Skill 13.1 Finding Good Information 
Lab Skill 13.2 Applying the CRAAP Test to Information 
Lab Skill 13.3 Presenting Good Arguments and Countering Bad Ones 
Lab Skill 13.4 Solving Problems Rationally 
Pre-Lab Quiz 13 
Problem to Solve 13.1 Can I Solve Twenty Brain Twisting Challenges? 
Problem to Solve 13.2 Can I Critically Evaluate Numerical Data? 
Problem to Solve 13.3 Can I Start Thinking Like a Scientist or Medical Professional? 
Problem to Solve 13.4 Can I Analyze an Argument About Bigfoot? 
Problem to Solve 13.5 Can I Identify Medical and Biological Truths, Mysteries, Myths, and Lies? 
Post-Lab Quiz 13 

Appendix A Metric and SI Units 
Appendix B Scientific Notation and Significant Figures 
Appendix C Atoms, Isotopes, and Ions 
Appendix D The Periodic Table of the Elements and How to Use It 
Appendix E How to Write a Scientific Paper 
Appendix F An Application of Stoichiometry and Dimensional Analysis 
Appendix G Values of the Chi Square Distribution

Paul Luyster
Paul Luyster
Paul Luyster earned his bachelor’s degree from Oral Roberts University, where he studied biology, chemistry, and philosophy. He completed a summer program at the University of Montana Biological Field Station, which is where his passion for biology really developed. He pursued a doctorate in systems ecology at the University of Georgia’s Institute of Ecology and also earned a masters in science education from Piedmont College. He completed a graduate certificate in medical human anatomy and physiology from the University of Florida’s College of Medicine, and he is finishing a PhD in biology at the University of North Texas. He has over 30 years of teaching experience. He has been employed by Tarrant County College in Fort Worth, Texas, since 2004. There, he has taught general biology for science majors, general biology for non-science majors, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, undergraduate biology research, and environmental biology field studies. He has received a number of teaching awards, including the NISOD Excellence Award and the Chancellor’s Quarterly Employee Excellence Award, and he was a finalist for the national Bellwether Award for Teaching. He is an active member of the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society and is a National Academies Education Fellow. He has contributed to a number of print and digital publications, including Mastering A&P. He also sponsors a student organization for pre-nursing students and serves as the lead instructor for the Majors Biology courses at Tarrant County College, South Campus, Fort Worth, TX. Most importantly, Mr. Luyster enjoys getting to know his students and seeing them succeed as they pursue their academic and professional goals.