"Integrated Science" is a straight forward, easy-to-read, but substantial introduction to the fundamental behavior of matter and energy in living and non-living systems. It is intended to serve the needs of non-science majors who are required to complete one or more science courses as part of a general or basic studies requirement. It introduces basic concepts and key ideas while providing opportunities for students to learn reasoning skills and a new way of thinking about their environment. No prior work in science is assumed. The language, as well as the mathematics, is as simple as can be practical for a college-level science course.

Table of Contents:
Chapter One - What Is Science? Objects and Properties Quantifying Properties Measurement Systems Standard Units for the Metric System Length Mass Time A Closer Look: The Leap Second Metric Prefixes Understanding from Measurements Data Ratios and Generalizations The Density Ratio Symbols and Equations The Nature of Science The Scientific Method Explanations and Investigations Scientific Laws Models and Theories Science, Nonscience, and Pseudoscience From Experimentation to Application Science and Nonscience Pseudoscience Limitations of Science Chapter Two - Motion Describing Motion Measuring Motion Speed Velocity Acceleration Forces A Closer Look: A Bicycle Racer's Edge Horizontal Motion on Land Falling Objects Compound Motion Vertical Projectiles Horizontal Projectiles Laws of Motion Newton's First Law of Motion Newton's Second Law of Motion Weight and Mass Newton's Third Law of Motion Momentum Conservation of Momentum Impulse Forces and Circular Motion Newton's Law of Gravitation A Closer Look: Space Station Weightlessness Chapter Three - Energy Work Units of Work Power Motion, Position, and Energy Potential Energy Kinetic Energy Energy Flow Energy Forms Energy Conversion Energy Conservation Energy Transfer Energy Sources Today Petroleum Coal Moving Water Nuclear A Closer Look: Solar Technology Chapter Four - Heat and Temperature The Kinetic Molecular Theory Molecules Molecules Interact Phases of Matter Molecules Move Temperature Thermometers Thermometer Scales Heat Heat as Energy Transfer Measures of Heat Specific Heat Heat Flow Conduction Convection Radiation A Closer Look: Passive Solar Design Energy, Heat, and Molecular Theory Phase Change Evaporation and Condensation Relative Humidity Thermodynamics Chapter Five - Wave Motions and Sound Forces and Elastic Materials Forces and Vibrations Describing Vibrations Waves Kinds of Waves Waves in Air A Closer Look: Ultrasonics Hearing Waves in Air Describing Waves Sound Waves Velocity of Sound in Air Refraction and Reflection Interference Energy and Sound Loudness Resonance Sources of Sounds Vibrating Strings Sounds from Moving Sources Chapter Six - Electricity Electric Charge Measuring Electrical Charge Measuring Electrical Force Electric Current Resistance AC and DC Electric Circuit A Closer Look: Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Electrical Power and Work A Closer Look: Household Circuits and Safety Magnetism Moving Charges and Magnetic Fields Magnetic Fields Interact A Moving Magnet Produces an Electric Field A Closer Look: Solar Cells Chapter Seven - Light Sources of Light Properties of Light Light Interacts with Matter Reflection Refraction A Closer Look: Optics Dispersion and Color A Closer Look: The Rainbow Evidence for Waves Interference Polarization Evidence for Particles Photoelectric Effect Quantization of Energy A Closer Look: The Compact Disc (CD) The Present Theory Chapter Eight - Atoms and Periodic Properties Atomic Structure Discovered Discovery of the Electron The Nucleus The Bohr Model The Quantum Concept Atomic Spectra Bohr's Theory Quantum Mechanics Electron Configuration The Periodic Table A Closer Look: The Rare Earths Metals, Nonmetals, and Semiconductors Chapter Nine - Chemical Reactions Compounds Elements Chemical Change Valence Electrons and Ions Chemical Bonds Ionic Bonds Covalent Bonds Composition of Compounds A Closer Look: Name That Compound A Closer Look: How To Units a Chemical Formula Chemical Equations A Closer Look: On Balancing Equations Types of Chemical Reactions Chapter Ten - Water and Solutions Household Water Properties of Water Structure of the Water Molecule The Dissolving Process Concentration of Solutions Solubility Properties of Water Solutions Electrolytes Boiling Point Freezing Point Acids, Bases, and Salts Properties of Acids and Bases Explaining Acid-Base Properties Strong and Weak Acids and Bases The pH Scale Properties of Salts Hard and Soft Water A Closer Look: Acid Rain Chapter Eleven - Nuclear Reactions Natural Radioactivity Nuclear Equations The Nature of the Nucleus Types of Radioactive Decay Radioactive Decay Series Measurement of Radiation Measurement Methods Radiation Units Radiation Exposure Nuclear Energy A Closer Look: Nuclear Medicine Nuclear Fission Nuclear Power Plants A Closer Look: Three Mile Island and Chernobyl Nuclear Fusion A Closer Look: Nuclear Waste Chapter Twelve - The Universe The Night Sky Origin of Stars Brightness of Stars Star Temperature Star Types The Life of a Star Galaxies The Milky Way Galaxy Other Galaxies A Closer Look: Extraterrestrials? The Life of a Galaxy A Closer Look: Dark Matter Chapter Thirteen - The Solar System The Planets, Moons, and Other Bodies Mercury Venus Earth's Moon Mars A Closer Look: Planets and Astrology Jupiter Saturn Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto Small Bodies of the Solar System Comets Asteroids Meteors and Meteorites A Closer Look: Strange Meteorites Origin of the Solar System Chapter Fourteen - The Earth Earth Materials Minerals A Closer Look: Asbestos Rocks The Rock Cycle The Earth's Interior The Crust The Mantle The Core A More Detailed Structure Plate Tectonics Evidence from Earth's Magnetic Field Evidence from the Ocean Lithosphere Plates and Boundaries A Closer Look: Seismic Topography Present-day Understandings A Closer Look: Measuring Plate Movement Chapter Fifteen - The Earth's Surface Interpreting Earth's Surface Processes That Build Up the Surface Stress and Strain Folding Faulting Earthquakes Origin of the Mountains A Closer Look: Volcanoes Change the World Processes that Tear Down the Surface Weathering A Closer Look: Acid Rain and Chemical Weathering A Closer Look: Municipal Solid Waste Problems Erosion Wind Chapter Sixteen - Earth's Weather The Atmosphere Composition of the Atmosphere Atmospheric Pressure Warming the Atmosphere Structure of the Atmosphere The Winds Local Wind Patterns A Closer Look: The Wind Chill Factor Global Wind Patterns A Closer Look: Wind Power Water and the Atmosphere Evaporation and Condensation Fog and Clouds Precipitation Weather Producers Air Masses Weather Fronts Waves and Cyclones Major Storms Weather Forecasting Climate Major Climate Groups Regional Climate Influence A Closer Look: El Nino and La Nina Chapter Seventeen - Earth's Waters Water on the Earth Freshwater Surface Water Groundwater Freshwater as a Resource A Closer Look: Water Quality and Wastewater Treatment Seawater Oceans and Seas The Nature of Seawater Movement of Seawater A Closer Look: Estuary Pollution The Ocean Floor A Closer Look: Key Forecasting Tool for the Chesapeake Bay Chapter Eighteen - Organic and Biochemistry Organic Compounds Hydrocarbons Alkenes and Alkynes Cycloalkanes and Aromatic Hydrocarbons Petroleum Hydrocarbon Derivatives Alcohols Ethers, Aldehydes, and Ketones Organic Acids and Esters Organic Compounds of Life Carbohydrates Proteins A Closer Look: Some Interesting Amino Acid Information Nucleic Acids Lipids A Closer Look: Omega Fatty Acids and Your Diet A Closer Look: Fat and Your Diet Synthetic Polymers Chapter Nineteen - The Nature of Living Things Characteristics of Life The Cell Theory A Closer Look: The Energy Currency of Living Things--ATP Cell Membranes Getting Through Membranes Diffusion Dialysis and Osmosis Controlled Methods of Transporting Molecules Organelles Composed of Membranes A Closer Look: Biochemical Pathways Nonmembranous Organelles Nuclear Components Major Cell Types The Prokaryotic Cell Structure A Closer Look: Antibiotics and Cell Structural Differences The Eukaryotic Cell Structure The Importance of Cell Division The Cell Cycle The Stages of Mitosis A Closer Look: Abnormal Cell Division: Cancer Chapter Twenty - The Origin and Evolution of Life Current Thinking About the Origin of Life Extraterrestrial Origin for Life on Earth Earth Origin for Life on Earth Meeting Metabolic Needs -- Heterotrophs or Autotrophs Reproduction and the Origin of Genetic Material Major Events in the Early Evolution of Living Things The Development of an Oxidizing Atmosphere The Establishment of Three Major Domains of Life The Origin of Eukaryotic Cells The Role of Natural Selection in Evolution What Influences Natural Selection? Genetic Variety Resulting from Mutation Genetic Variety Resulting from Sexual Reproduction Acquired Characteristics Do Not Influence Natural Selection Processes That Drive Natural Selection Differential Survival Differential Production Rates Differential Mate Selection A Closer Look: Human Designed Organisms A Summary of the Causes of Evolutionary Change Accum ulating Evidence of Evolution A Closer Look: Common Misconceptions About the Theory of Evolution Species: A Working Definition A Closer Look: Is the Red Wolf a Species? How New Species Originate The Development of Evolutionary Thought The Tentative Nature of the Evolutionary History of Organisms Chapter Twenty-one - The History of Life on Earth Geologic Time Early Attempts at Earth Dating Modern Techniques for Determining the Age of the Earth Arranging Events in Order Geologic Time and the Fossil Record Early Ideas About Fossils Types of Fossils Correlating Fossils with Geologic Time A Closer Look: What is Carbon-14 Dating? The Geologic Time Scale Paleontology, Archaeology, and Human Evolution A Closer Look: Neanderthals Were Probably a Different Species The First Hominids-The Australopiths Later Hominids-The Genus Homo The Origin of Homo sapiens The Classification of Organisms Domains Archaea and Eubacteria Domain Eucarya A Closer Look: The World's Oldest and Largest Living Organisms Acellular Infectious Particles Viroids: Infectious RNA Prions: Infectious Proteins Chapter Twenty-two - Ecology and Environment A Definition of Environment The Organization of Ecological Systems Energy Flow in Ecosystems Community Interactions Types of Terrestrial Communities Temperate Deciduous Forest Grassland or Prairie Savanna Desert Boreal Forest Temperate Rainforest Tundra Tropical Rainforest Types of Aquatic Communities Marine Communities Freshwater Communities Estuaries Community, Habitat, and Niche A Closer Look: The Importance of Habitat Size Kinds of Organism Interactions Predation Parasitism Commensalism Mutualism Competition The Cycling of Materials in Ecosystems The Carbon Cycle A Closer Look: Carbon Dioxide and Global Warming The Nitrogen Cycle Population Characteristics The Population Growth Curve Population-Size Limitations A Closer Look: Government Policy and Population Control in China Limiting Factors to Human Population Growth Chapter Twenty-three - Human Biology: Sex and Nutrition Sexual Reproduction The Mechanics of Meiosis: Meiosis I Chromosomes and Sex Determination A Closer Look: Karyotyping and Down Syndrome Spermatogenesis Oogenesis A Closer Look: Sexually Transmitted Diseases A Closer Look: The Human Genome Project Sexual Maturation of Young Adults Nutrition Living Things as Chemical Factories: Matter and Energy Manipulators Kilocalories, Basal Metabolism, and Weight Control Amounts and Sources of Nutrients The Food Guide Pyramid with Five Food Groups Eating Disorders A Closer Look: Nutritional Needs Associated with Pregnancy and Lactation Deficiency Diseases Chapter Twenty-four - Human Biology: Materials Exchange and Control Mechanisms Exchanging Materials: Basic Principles Transporting Materials: The Circulatory System The Nature of Blood The Heart Arteries, Veins, and Capillaries Exchanging Gases: The Respiratory System A Closer Look: Cigarette Smoking and Your Health Obtaining Nutrients: The Digestive System Mechanical and Chemical Processing Nutrient Uptake Waste Disposal: The Excretory System Control Mechanisms The Structure of the Nervous System The Nature of the Nerve Impulse Activities at the Synapse Endocrine System Function Sensory Input Chemical Detection Light Detection Sound Detection Touch Output Mechanisms Muscles A Closer Look: Which Type of Exercise Do You Do? Glands Growth Responses Chapter Twenty-five - Mendelian and Molecular Genetics Genetics, Meiosis, and Cells Single-Gene Inheritance Patterns Dominant and Recessive Alleles Codominance X-Linked Genes Mendel's Laws of Heredity A Closer Look: Cystic Fibrosis -- What's the Probability? Steps in Solving Heredity Problems: Single Factor Crosses A Closer Look: Blame That Trait on Your Mother! A Closer Look: Muscular Dystrophy and Genetics Alternative Inheritance Situations Multiple Alles Polygenic Inheritance Pleiotropy Environmental Influences on Gene Expression What is a Gene and How Does It Work? The Structure of DNA and RNA A Closer Look: Of Men (and Women!), Microbes, and Molecules DNA Replication DNA Transcription Translation of Protein Synthesis A Closer Look: Basic Steps of Translation Alterations of DNA A Closer Look: The PCR and Genetic Fingerprinting Genetic Engineering Appendix A Mathematical Review Working with Equations Significant Figures Conversion of Units Scientific Notation Appendix B Solubilities Chart Appendix C Relative Humidity Table Appendix D Solutions for Group A Parallel Exercises Appendix E Problem Solving Glossary Credits Index