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Textbook series · Volume I of 4

Introduction to Biology at the Molecular Level Volume I: General Chemistry

Michael Shogren-Knaak

Cover of Introduction to Biology at the Molecular Level, Volume I: General Chemistry, by Michael Shogren-Knaak: space-filling models of a water molecule and two atoms on a black background.

Biologically relevant molecules are everywhere you look, and understanding them is crucial to grasping how the world works. This first volume presents the general chemistry most relevant to living things, with full-color figures throughout.

246 pages · full color · 8.5" × 11"
Version 1.1, October 2026
ISBN 979-8-9972459-0-0 (paperback)

About this book

What is this book?

Introduction to Biology at the Molecular Level is a textbook series for understanding how biological systems work at the molecular scale. The books in the series are designed to be high-quality and affordable, with full-color figures throughout. This volume, the first, presents the general chemistry topics most relevant to living things. Later volumes build on this foundation to explore larger and more complex molecules and systems.

Who is it for?

Anyone wanting to learn about biology at the molecular level. The book assumes comfort with high-school algebra and basic science concepts, but is otherwise written for a wide audience: college students outside biochemistry whose training calls for chemistry as it relates to biology; biochemistry and related majors and graduate students looking for a concise refresher; and advanced high-school students, or anyone in a technical or non-technical field, curious about how living systems work.

How is it organized?

Each chapter explores a general chemistry topic in a clear, concise, and well-motivated way. The first sections of each chapter cover what is essential for understanding biological systems. The closing Further Exploration sections are optional, going deeper into more specialized topics that may matter in particular fields. The book isn’t meant to be an exhaustive treatment of general chemistry; instead, it introduces the chemical principles that animate biological systems and provides a strong foundation for further study.

Sample pages

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From the core sections

From the optional Further Exploration sections

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Contents

  1. 1. Molecules and Atoms
    1. A.Introduction to Biological Molecules
    2. B.The Building Blocks of Molecules
    3. C.Atomic Structure
    4. D.Atomic Stability and Reactivity
    5. E.Further Exploration: Radioactivity
    6. F.Further Exploration: Atomic Orbitals
  2. 2. Amounts and Concentrations
    1. A.Ways of Describing Amounts
    2. B.Dealing with Big and Small Numbers
    3. C.Converting Between Amounts, Units
    4. D.Concept of a Mole
    5. E.Concentration
    6. F.Further Exploration: Uncertainty in Measurements
    7. G.Further Exploration: Quantities Related to Concentration
  3. 3. Atomic Ions and Salts
    1. A.Single Atom Ions
    2. B.Salts
    3. C.Abundance of Atomic Ions
    4. D.Ions and Biological Systems
    5. E.Further Exploration: More on Electrostatic Interactions
    6. F.Further Exploration: Equilibrium
  1. 4. A Covalent Compound: Water
    1. A.Covalent Bonds and Water
    2. B.Three-Dimensional Structure of Water
    3. C.Uneven Distribution of Electrons in Bonds and Molecules
    4. D.Properties of Water
    5. E.Further Exploration: Dipoles and Hydrogen Bonds
    6. F.Further Exploration: Gases
  2. 5. More Covalent Compounds, Molecular Ions
    1. A.Some Covalent Compounds with Single Bonds
    2. B.Some Covalent Compounds with Double Bonds
    3. C.Molecular Ions
    4. D.Compounds in the Air
    5. E.Further Exploration: Bonding
    6. F.Further Exploration: Ion Solubility
  3. 6. Acids and Bases
    1. A.Effects of Acids and Bases on Living Things
    2. B.pH
    3. C.Strengths of Acids and Bases
    4. D.Buffers
    5. E.Further Exploration: pKas
    6. F.Further Exploration: Buffers Revisited

Also: Preface, How to Use This Book, Figure Credits, Glossary, Index, About the Author.

For instructors

You’re welcome to assign this book. The PDF is free, and students may download, print, and share the complete, unaltered file for personal and noncommercial educational use, including posting it to a course website or learning management system such as Canvas, as long as no fee is charged.

If you can, please link students to this page rather than uploading the file. That way they always get the latest version, with any corrections, and we can get a sense of how the book is being used.

Using the book in a course, or found an error? We’d love to hear from you at contact@ribosomepress.com.

The series

Together, the four volumes take the reader from individual atoms to biomolecules working together in cells.

  1. Volume I: General Chemistry (this book)
  2. Volume II: Organic Chemistry (in preparation)
  3. Volume III: Biochemistry – Biomolecules (in preparation)
  4. Volume IV: Biochemistry – Molecules at Work (in preparation)

About the author

Michael Shogren-Knaak is a professor of biochemistry at Iowa State University. He studied chemistry at Stanford University and earned his PhD in organic chemistry at Caltech. In recent years he has focused on teaching biochemistry and biophysics and on sharing his excitement about how life works at the molecular level. This series is a result of that.