tag:open.umn.edu,2005:/opentextbooks/subjects/natural-sciences?page=9Open Textbook Library - Natural Sciences Textbooks2021-08-05T21:16:16Zhttps://open.umn.edu/assets/common/favicon/favicon-1594c2156c95ca22b1a0d803d547e5892bb0e351f682be842d64927ecda092e7.icohttps://open.umn.edu/assets/library/otl_logo-f9161d5c999f5852b38260727d49b4e7d7142fc707ec9596a5256a778f957ffc.png10312021-08-05T21:16:16Z2024-01-22T19:14:33ZClimate Lessons: Environmental, Social, Local<img alt="Read more about Climate Lessons: Environmental, Social, Local" title="Climate Lessons: Environmental, Social, Local cover image" class="cover " width="337" height="493" data-controller="common--cover" data-placeholder="/assets/common/placeholder-0e0607cbc50663ddb9e8fd188058bcd2630c730ef6ee322801278607b7d5af8e.png" src="/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6MjcyNiwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--61fa406016682ca904efa05bad170adfff6c61e5/5-thumbnail.jpeg" />Anthropogenic climate change is one of the, if not the most, pressing issues of our times. The problems that it causes range across many social and environmental domains from habitat and species loss and displacement to the more human and social concerns and issues of access to water, sea level rise that affects coastal communities, to economic degradation as a result of the aforementioned and other connected issues such as increased frequency of storms, droughts, wildfires, and the like. We also know that the affects of climate change are not distributed evenly across populations- that many will and do feel the negative effects of this slow developing problem earlier and more intensely than others based on where they are located both geographically and within economic and other socio-cultural hierarchies. We also know that recently, there is a marked effort to begin to move away from simply decrying the horrors of climate change to a continued recognition of those horrors as they exist now and into the future alongside attempts to begin to come to terms with the changing climate and to rethink the ways that our social and environmental relations and communities are organized with an eye toward both adapting to these changes and mitigating further damage. There is, however, much work to be done. This book was co-authored by undergraduate students at Worcester Polytechnic Institute while exploring the influences of Earth systems and human systems on climate change and the communities at most risk in an interdisciplinary project-based first year course. This course attempts to bring together knowledge of the science of ecological and climate systems and their changing status with knowledge of the social and communal structures within which these systems are embedded and through which they have been influenced. The book highlights key interests and insights of current students in their quest to think through these issues and to create a better world.10252021-08-02T14:32:35Z2024-01-22T14:52:26ZFuture Energy: Opportunities & Challenges<img alt="Read more about Future Energy: Opportunities & Challenges" title="Future Energy: Opportunities & Challenges cover image" class="cover " width="431" height="646" data-controller="common--cover" data-placeholder="/assets/common/placeholder-0e0607cbc50663ddb9e8fd188058bcd2630c730ef6ee322801278607b7d5af8e.png" src="/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6MjY2OSwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--79a896400919ad7ab3a86d7fd9794304429ac671/Yooor.JPG" />How can we produce enough sustainable energy while avoiding unacceptable environmental consequences? To evaluate the various energy options, we must understand the science of each potential energy source and energy use technology. This book presents the science in an easy-to-understand way to enable readers to make informed decisions about what is possible and practical, and to choose lifestyle options to implement in their personal lives. America and the world face daunting questions about how we produce energy and how we use it. Conservation and improved energy efficiency can help reduce energy requirements, but cannot halt the steady increase in energy consumption. An increasing world population and increasing energy appetites in emerging economies will create competition for energy resources for all nations. The possibilities for future energy production include fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, coal, oil sands, and oil shale), biofuels, solar, wind, hydro-energy, geothermal, and nuclear (probably fission and possibly fusion). Each of these sources has relative advantages and disadvantages. The problem is to produce enough sustainable energy while avoiding unacceptable environmental consequences, especially climate change. In order to evaluate the potential of the various energy options, one must understand the basic science that underlies each potential energy source and energy use technology. This knowledge will enable us to determine what is possible and practical and, maybe more importantly, what is impossible or impractical. Fortunately most of the pertinent science is old, well established and, for the most part, quite simple. This science provides a framework into which one can insert real data and draw conclusions. Without such quantitative assessments, claims about capabilities of the various energy options must be viewed as unverified assumptions rather than hard facts. This book presents the essential science in an easy-to-understand, yet comprehensive way. A big change in the ways that we produce and use energy is inevitable. Informed choices will help avoid waste, avoid unnecessary disruptions in our lives, and avoid undesirable environmental effects. The purpose of this book is to help the reader make informed decisions about which energy production technologies to support and which energy use technologies and lifestyle options to implement in his/her personal life. This book was originally published in 2013 by the International Society of Automation. Rights for this work have been reverted to the author by the original publisher. To report your interest or share that you have adopted Future Energy: Opportunities & Challenges, please complete this short form. To provide feedback or report errata, please complete this short form.10272021-07-22T19:58:18Z2024-01-22T14:52:26ZInanimate Life<img alt="Read more about Inanimate Life" title="Inanimate Life cover image" class="cover " width="131" height="170" data-controller="common--cover" data-placeholder="/assets/common/placeholder-0e0607cbc50663ddb9e8fd188058bcd2630c730ef6ee322801278607b7d5af8e.png" src="/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6MjY3MiwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--937dd32f7119a21ba26581830b3141427bdea62e/Cover-ebook-131x170.jpg" />Inanimate Life is an open textbook covering a very traditional biological topic, botany, in a non-traditional way. Rather than a phylogenetic approach, going group by group, the book considers what defines organisms and examines four general areas of their biology: structure (their composition and how it comes to be), reproduction (including sex), energy and material needs, and their interactions with conditions and with other organisms. Although much of the text is devoted to vascular plants, the book comparatively considers ‘EBA = everything but animals’ (hence the title): plants, photosynthetic organisms that are not plants (‘algae’, as well as some bacteria and archaebacteria), fungi, and ‘fungal-like’ organisms. The book includes brief ‘fact sheets’ of over fifty organisms/groups that biologists should be aware of, ranging from the very familiar (corn, yeast) to the unfamiliar (bracket fungi, late-blight of potato). These groups reflect the diversity of inanimate life.10232021-07-07T21:16:00Z2024-01-22T14:52:26ZStability of Ships and Other Bodies - ver 0.7.0<img alt="Read more about Stability of Ships and Other Bodies - ver 0.7.0" title="Stability of Ships and Other Bodies - ver 0.7.0 cover image" class="cover " width="611" height="757" data-controller="common--cover" data-placeholder="/assets/common/placeholder-0e0607cbc50663ddb9e8fd188058bcd2630c730ef6ee322801278607b7d5af8e.png" src="/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6MjQ5OSwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--9a55ba6138153fb45bf9fac312a30c1104fbb8f2/boat.JPG" />This book, Stability of Ships and Other Bodies, describes the fundamentals when and why floating bodies are stable. In addition, it describes steps that transforms un–stable bodies to stable. This book is designed to replace all the other books and inseminate that recent developed technology and advances. The material in standard books is so entrenched, old, and outdated material that one can be only amazed. For example, concept like potential stability is not discussed or even mentioned in any of all the books that this author review. This book written from physical point of view rather then construction point of view like all the books review by this author on stability. It is hoped that the book could be used as a reference book for people who have at least some basics knowledge of science areas such as algebra, basic physics, etc. Even without deep understating the graphs in this book can be used to find necessarily quantities needed to understand if to fix your vessel.10122021-06-26T18:59:59Z2024-01-22T14:52:26ZHistory and Science of Cultivated Plants<img alt="Read more about History and Science of Cultivated Plants" title="History and Science of Cultivated Plants cover image" class="cover " width="350" height="453" data-controller="common--cover" data-placeholder="/assets/common/placeholder-0e0607cbc50663ddb9e8fd188058bcd2630c730ef6ee322801278607b7d5af8e.png" src="/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6MjQ0OSwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--172a41162f1cdd5c4f1d5524bae37a1ac75748f6/History-and-Science-of-Cultivated-Plants-350x453.png" />History and Science of Cultivated Plants narrates how humans transitioned from foragers to farmers and have arrived at present-day industrial agriculture-based civilization. It entails myths, historical accounts, and scientific concepts to describe how human efforts have shaped and produced easier to grow, larger, tastier, and more nutritious fruits, vegetables, and grains from wild plants. Using examples of various economically and socially important crops central to human civilization, the book describes the origin of crop plants, the evolution of agricultural practices, fundamental concepts of natural selection vs. domestication, experimental and methodical plant breeding, and plant biotechnology.10112021-06-26T18:51:13Z2023-08-31T14:10:20ZMarine Ecology Notes - 2nd Edition<img alt="Read more about Marine Ecology Notes - 2nd Edition" title="Marine Ecology Notes - 2nd Edition cover image" class="cover " width="595" height="765" data-controller="common--cover" data-placeholder="/assets/common/placeholder-0e0607cbc50663ddb9e8fd188058bcd2630c730ef6ee322801278607b7d5af8e.png" src="/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6MjQ0OCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--ae525425e59ac549e662f4217c4680f69185bf22/Marine.JPG" />This books is a general introduction to Marine Ecology, accompanying a lecture and excursion. It targets students without prior knowledge of the subject. The content is taken largely from Wikipedia, but curated and augmented by the authors.10052021-05-27T19:52:00Z2024-03-11T15:18:59ZFoundations of Neuroscience<img alt="Read more about Foundations of Neuroscience" title="Foundations of Neuroscience cover image" class="cover " width="683" height="1024" data-controller="common--cover" data-placeholder="/assets/common/placeholder-0e0607cbc50663ddb9e8fd188058bcd2630c730ef6ee322801278607b7d5af8e.png" src="/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6MjM4MCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--c8a45dc8b8ba92c1cea23771ba199f30a8f413ce/Foundations_of_Neuroscience_Cover-683x1024.jpg" />Foundations of Neuroscience is aimed at undergraduate students new to the field of neuroscience. The first edition specifically targets students enrolled in Neurobiology at Michigan State University and primarily contains topics covered in that course.10042021-05-27T19:48:25Z2024-01-22T14:52:26ZAn Interactive Introduction to Organismal and Molecular Biology<img alt="Read more about An Interactive Introduction to Organismal and Molecular Biology" title="An Interactive Introduction to Organismal and Molecular Biology cover image" class="cover " width="683" height="1024" data-controller="common--cover" data-placeholder="/assets/common/placeholder-0e0607cbc50663ddb9e8fd188058bcd2630c730ef6ee322801278607b7d5af8e.png" src="/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6MjM3OSwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--efa4e0ad8a9aadc919cbad1a256aac3bd3f2e47a/Organismal-Molecular-Biology_Cover-683x1024.jpg" />This "textbook" is interactive, meaning that although each chapter has text, they also have interactive HTML5 content, such as quizzes, simulations, interactive videos, and images with clickable hotspots. Students receive instant feedback when they complete the interactive content, and therefore, can learn and check their understanding all in one place. The first unit introduces students to the nature of science, including scientific controversies, and information literacy, including how to analyze literature and identify stakeholders. Unit 2 is organismal biology, including carbon cycling and population growth, and unit 3 is molecular biology with a focus on gene expression.10012021-05-21T20:09:30Z2024-01-22T14:52:25ZFundamentals of Aerospace Engineering<img alt="Read more about Fundamentals of Aerospace Engineering" title="Fundamentals of Aerospace Engineering cover image" class="cover " width="205" height="300" data-controller="common--cover" data-placeholder="/assets/common/placeholder-0e0607cbc50663ddb9e8fd188058bcd2630c730ef6ee322801278607b7d5af8e.png" src="/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6MjM2MCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--1b8fbaade233f58163f931124e6169b6afd813b3/1_page-205x300.png" />Fundamentals of Aerospace Engineering covers an undergraduate, introductory course to aeronautical engineering and aims at combining theory and practice to provide a comprehensive, thorough introduction to the fascinating, yet complex discipline of aerospace engineering. This book is the ulterior result of three year of teaching a course called Aerospace Engineering in the first year of a degree in aerospace engineering (with a minor in air navigation) at the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, in Madrid, Spain.10002021-04-29T19:01:48Z2024-01-22T14:52:25ZIntroduction to Petrology<img alt="Read more about Introduction to Petrology" title="Introduction to Petrology cover image" class="cover " width="625" height="938" data-controller="common--cover" data-placeholder="/assets/common/placeholder-0e0607cbc50663ddb9e8fd188058bcd2630c730ef6ee322801278607b7d5af8e.png" src="/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6MjI3NSwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--1d6fbb10e7f21edb2cfc92a0a86537f78d27ace6/Cover-2.png" />Learn about igneous and metamorphic rocks (and how to analyze them), the fun way! Students learn concepts and practice knowledge by conducting inquiries guided with examples based on videos and interactive diagrams.
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