Select the Right Product

There are three factors to consider before deciding which ISBN to order:
  1. Platform: VBL3 is built in CengageNOW, to allow activities to be electronically assignable and gradable. You may want to learn more about options for Blackboard or WebCT campuses.

  2. Number of modules: If you are using CengageNOW, you may purchase any of the 14 modules ala carte via e-commerce for $6 per module. However, it may make sense to bundle printed access cards for all 14 modules with your textbook. "Best Bet" printed access cards have also been created to bundled applicable modules with specific texts

  3. Bundle: Bundles with our textbooks have been created for further cost savings: just $22 for all 14 modules with your Starr, Solomon, or Russell Biology text, or $10 for selected modules with your Environmental Science, Plant Biology, or Human Heredity text. Contact your sales representative for specific bundle ISBNs.

Buy Online Bundle Printed Access Card
All 14 Modules Buy instant access (0495317527) for 2-semesters for $64 online Bundle Printed Access card (0495011037) with text for $22; contact your rep for bundle ISBN. Site license available*
Selected Modules Best Bets Printed Access Cards for Environmental Science (0495392421), Human Heredity (0495392448), and Botany (049539288X) can be bunded with your text; consult your representative for bundle ISBN and cost.
Individual Modules Buy online for $6 each

*Site License: If your school wishes to purchase access codes on behalf of your students, you may arrange with your sales representative to do so. Pricing is as follows for adopters of our texts:

1 - 99 units: $22/unit
Pack of 100: $2000
100 - 499: $2000 + $17/unit beyond 100
Pack of 500: $7500
500 - 999: $7500 + $13/unit beyond 500
Pack of 1000: $11000
1000+ : $11000 + $10/unit beyond 1000

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Modules and activities

Fourteen modules are available in version 3.0. Best Bets for Molecular Biology are coded in blue, Best Bets for Environmental Science are coded in green, Best Bets for Botany includes everything but Pedigree Analysis, Molecular Biology, and Population Biology. To see the activities available in each module, scroll down.

  • Biochemistry
  • Cell Chemistry
  • Cell Structure
  • Microscopy
  • Cell Membranes
  • Photosynthesis
  • Cell Respiration
  • Cell Division
  • Genetics
  • Pedigree Analysis
  • Molecular Biology
  • Evolution
  • Population Biology
  • Ecology

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Detailed Table of Contents

Biochemistry

Simulation 1: Biochemistry Tutor
1.1: The Chemistry of Carbon
1.2: Carbohydrates
1.3: Lipids
1.4: Proteins
1.5: Nucleic Acids

Simulation 2: 3-D Molecular Viewer
2.1: Learning to Use the Viewer
2.2: Hydrocarbons
2.3a: Carbohydrates: Glucose
2.3b: Carbohydrates: Sucrose
2.3c: Carbohydrates: Agarose
2.4a: Lipids: Fatty Acids
2.4b: Lipids: Phospholipids/Phospholipid Bilayer
2.4c: Lipids: Steroids
2.5a: Proteins: Amino Acids
2.5b: Proteins: Alanine, Lysine, Glutamate
2.5c: Proteins: Polypeptides
2.5d: Proteins: Crambin
2.5e: Proteins: Insulin
2.6a: Nucleic Acids: Nucleotides
2.6b: Nucleic Acids: Base Pairing
2.6c: Nucleic Acids: DNA 1 and 2
2.6d: Nucleic Acids: RNA
2.6e: Nucleic Acids: ATP/ADP

Module Test

Cell Chemistry

Simulation 1: Standards
1.1: Using Ninhydrin to Detect and Measure the Concentration of Amino Acids
1.2: Using Biuret to Detect and Measure the Concentration of Proteins
1.3: Using Orcinol to Detect and Measure the Concentration of Sugars
1.4: Using Iodine Potassium Iodide to Detect and Measure the Concentration of Starches
1.5: Using Nile Blue to Detect and Measure the Concentration of Lipids
1.6: Testing for False Positives

Simulation 2: Knowns
2.1: Creating a Biochemical Profile of Potato
2.2: Creating Biochemical Profiles of Apples, Milk, and Liver
Simulation 3: Morphology
3.1: Dinosaur Tooth Morphology

Simulation 4: Diets
4.1: Analysis of Dinosaur Stomach Contents

Module Test

Cell Structure

Simulation 1: Cells
1.1: Prokaryotic Cell Structure
1.2: Eukaryotic Cell Structure: Animal Cell
1.3: Eukaryotic Cell Structure: Plant Cell

Simulation 2: Organelles
2.1: Plasma Membrane
2.2: Membrane Macromolecules
2.3: Cell Wall
2.4: Mitochondrion
2.5: Golgi Body
2.6: Nucleus
2.7: Nucleolus
2.8: Chloroplast
2.9: Rough ER
2.10: Smooth ER
2.11: Centriole
2.12: Vacuole
Module Test

Microscopy

Simulation 1: Microscopes
1.1: Parts of a Microscope

Simulation 2: Micrographs
2.1: Cells and Organelles
2.2: Quantitative Measurements: Cells
2.3: Quantitative Measurements: Nuclei

Module Test

Cell Membranes

Simulation 1: Simple Diffusion
1.1: Effect of Temperature on Simple Diffusion
1.2: Effect of Membrane Permeability on Simple Diffusion
1.3: Self-Designed Activity
Simulation 2: Osmometer
2.1: Effect of the Sucrose Concentration Gradient on Osmosis
2.2: Effect of Membrane Permeability on Osmosis
2.3: Self-Designed Activity

Simulation 3: Cell Diffusion
3.1: Effect of Concentration Gradients on Diffusion into a Cell
3.2: Effect of Membrane Permeability on Diffusion out of a Cell
3.3: Self-Designed Activity

Module Test

Cell Division

Simulation 1: Cell Cycle
1.1: Phases of the Cell Cycle

Simulation 2: Mitosis
2.1: Phases of Mitosis

Simulation 3: Meiosis
3.1: Phases of Meiosis

Module Test

Photosynthesis

Simulation 1: Action Spectrum
1.1: Effect of White Light on Photosynthetic Activity
1.2: Effect of Spectral Light on Photosynthetic Activity
1.3: Self-Designed Activity

Simulation 2: Chromatography
2.1: Using Thin-Layer Chromatography to Separate and Identify
Pigments in a Mixture

Simulation 3: Carbon Dioxide Fixation (CO2 Fixation demo)
3.1: Effect of Light Intensity on the Rate of Photosynthesis
3.2: Effect of CO2 Concentration on the Rate of Photosynthesis
3.3: Self-Designed Activity

Module Test

Cell Respiration

Simulation 1: Physical Activity
1.1 Effect of Physical Activity on Scorpion Respiration Rate
1.2: Self-Designed Activity

Simulation 2: Body Temperature
2.1. Effect of Hypothermia (Reduced Body Temperature) on the Respiration Rate of a Ground Squirrel
2.2: Self-Designed Activity

Simulation 3: Recovery
3.1 Respiratory Recovery After a Period of Stimulation

Module Test

Genetics

Simulation 1: Phenotypes
1.1: Genetics of Glyptodont Shell Color

Simulation 2: Chromatography
2.1a: Using Thin-Layer Chromatography to Separate the Components of a Mixture
2.1b: How Is Pigment Composition Related to Genotype?

Simulation 3: Electrophoresis (Electrophoresis demo)
3.1: Using Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis to Identify Proteins

Simulation 4: Genotypes
4.1: Determining Genotypes and Confirming Mendelian Inheritance of Shell Color

Module Test

Pedigree Analysis

Simulation 1: Pedigree Analysis Tutorial
1.1: Tutorial: Pedigree Example 1
1.2: Tutorial: Pedigree Example 2
1.3: Tutorial: Pedigree Example 3

Simulation 2: Inheritance of Genetic Abnormalities and Disorders
2.1: Huntington’s Disease
2.2: Hemophilia A
2.3: Tay-Sachs Disease
2.4: Achondroplasia
2.5: Cystic fibrosis
2.6: Color blindness

Simulation 3:Genetic Counseling Case Studies
3.1: Case Study 1: Tay-Sachs Disease
3.2: Case Study 2: Huntington's Disease
3.3: Case Study 3: Hemophilia

Molecular Biology

Simulation 1: Mendelian Inheritance of Sickle Cell Anemia
1.1: Autosomal Recessive Inheritance of Sickle Cell Anemia

Simulation 2: DNA Sequencing
2.1: Sequencing the Normal and Sickle Cell Anemia Gene for Betaglobin

Simulation 3: DNA Fingerprinting
3.1: Human Identification Using DNA Fingerprints
3.2: How Do We Know We Are Right? A Brief Description of DNA

Evolution

Simulation 1: Population Genetics
1.1: Populations Under Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium
1.2: Genetic Drift
1.3a: Natural Selection
1.3b: Natural Selection: Heterozygous Advantage
1.4: Mutation
1.5: Gene Flow
1.6: Self-Designed Activity

Simulation 2: Evolution in Natural Populations
2.1: Observations of Wild Guppy Populations

Simulation 3: Laboratory Tests of Natural Populations (Laboratory Tests of Natural Population demo)
3.1: Spot Number in the Absence of Predators
3.2: Spot Number in the Presence of Predators
3.3: Self-Designed Activity

Module Test

Population Biology

Simulation 1: Population Growth
1.1: Effect of Population Size
1.2: Effect of Carrying Capacity
1.3: Effect of Changes in Birth and Death Rates

Simulation 2: Predator-Prey I
2.1a: Using the Model: Relationship between Prey and Predator Population Size
2.1b: Using the Model: Isoclines
2.2: Changes in Population Growth Rates
2.3: Using Isoclines to Study Predator and Prey Population Sizes
2.4: Prey without Predators
2.5: Increasing Predator Efficiency
2.6: Self-Designed Activity

Simulation 3: Predator-Prey II
3.1a: Using the Model: Effect of Kprey and Predation on Population Size
3.1b: Drastic Changes in Predator and/or Prey Populations
3.2: Solving Real-World Population Biology Problems
3.3: Self-Designed Activity

Module test

Ecology

Simulation 1: Energy Flow
1.1: Variation within Years vs. Variation between Years
1.2: Energy Efficiencies: Energy Transfer between Trophic Levels
1.3: Energy Efficiencies: Variation within Years
1.4: Effects of Supplemental Energy
1.5: Self-Designed Activity

Simulation 2: Carbon Cycle
2.1: Familiarizing Yourself with the Carbon Cycle Simulation
2.2: Behavior of the Carbon Cycle: Effects of Short-Term Changes
2.3: Behavior of the Carbon Cycle: Effects of Long-Term Changes
2.4: Behavior of the Carbon Cycle: Simulating the Possible Effects of Fire
2.5: Self-Designed Activity

Simulation 3: Community Ecology
3.1: Community Equilibrium Values
3.2: Effects of Predators on Community Structure
3.3: Effects of Herbivores on Community Structure
3.4a: Effects of Fire on Community Structure: Prairie Dog Communities
3.4b: Effects of Fire on Community Structure: Mesquite Communities
3.5: Self-Designed Activity

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