Looking Inside: Organelles and Their Functions
Molecules that pass muster with the cell membrane enter the cytoplasm, a mixture of macromolecules such as proteins and RNA…
Aiming for the Nucleus
The cell nucleus is the largest cellular organelle and the first to be discovered by scien- tists. On average, it…
The Cell: Life’s Basic Building Block
Cytology, from the Greek word cyto, which means “cell,” is the study of cells. Every living thing has cells, but…
Cycling through Life: Metabolism
Metabolism (from the Greek metabole, which means “change”) is the word for the myriad chemical reactions that happen in the…
Compounding Chemical Reactions
Atoms tend to arrange themselves in the most stable patterns possible, which means that they have a tendency to complete…
Building from Scratch: Atoms and Elements
All matter — be it solid, liquid, or gas — is composed of atoms. An atom is the smallest unit…