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OpenStax life sciences

Your students can open the textbook on day one, at no cost, on a device they already own. Peer-reviewed life sciences textbooks from OpenStax at Rice University are trusted by tens of thousands of high school and college instructors.

4 free online textbooks covering core subjects, from biology to anatomy and physiology

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Why OpenStax life sciences?

3 reasons life sciences instructors choose OpenStax:

Build scientific understanding from the ground up

Life sciences students must interpret complex systems, connect biological processes, and apply scientific reasoning.

OpenStax resources support this with clear explanations, high-quality illustrations, and real-world STEM connections.

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Trusted textbooks built for real courses

Designed for majors, non-majors, and AP® students alike, our life sciences textbooks support instruction across core life sciences disciplines. Each textbook is:

Written by experts and classroom-tested
Aligned to typical course standards
Available online for free and low-cost in print
Continuously updated to reflect current research

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{"title": "Chemistry 2e", "show": false, "category": ["science"], "image": " https://www2.openstax.org/l/218812/2025-03-05/21frfk3/218812/1741202774rzn14tDm/fundamentals_of_nursing_web_card__1_.svg"},

{"title": "Chemistry: Atoms First 2e", "show": false, "category": ["science"], "image": " https://www2.openstax.org/l/218812/2025-03-05/21frfk3/218812/1741202774rzn14tDm/fundamentals_of_nursing_web_card__1_.svg"},

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{"title": "College Algebra 2e", "show": false, "category": ["math"], "image": " https://www2.openstax.org/l/218812/2025-03-05/21frfk3/218812/1741202774rzn14tDm/fundamentals_of_nursing_web_card__1_.svg"},

{"title": "College Algebra 2e with Corequisite Support", "show": false, "category": ["math"], "image": " https://www2.openstax.org/l/218812/2025-03-05/21frfk3/218812/1741202774rzn14tDm/fundamentals_of_nursing_web_card__1_.svg"},

{"title": "College Physics 2e", "show": false, "category": ["science"], "image": " https://www2.openstax.org/l/218812/2025-03-05/21frfk3/218812/1741202774rzn14tDm/fundamentals_of_nursing_web_card__1_.svg"},

{"title": "College Physics For AP® Courses 2e", "show": false, "category": ["science"], "image": " https://www2.openstax.org/l/218812/2025-03-05/21frfk3/218812/1741202774rzn14tDm/fundamentals_of_nursing_web_card__1_.svg"},

{"title": "College Success", "show": false, "category": ["college"], "image": "https://storage.pardot.com/218812/1766081608S30S0v7E/college_success_web_card.svg"},

{"title": "College Success Concise", "show": false, "category": ["college"], "image": "https://storage.pardot.com/218812/1766081607Or5OI0f3/college_success_concise_web_card.svg"},

{"title": "Concepts of Biology", "show": true, "category": ["science"], "image": "https://storage.pardot.com/218812/1766081608sqGekiJI/concepts_biology_webcard.svg"},

{"title": "Contemporary Mathematics", "show": false, "category": ["math"], "image": " https://storage.pardot.com/218812/1745426098ZMlSPftZ/contemporary_mathematics_web_card.svg"},

{"title": "Elementary Algebra 2e", "show": false, "category": ["math"], "image": " https://www2.openstax.org/l/218812/2025-03-05/21frfk3/218812/1741202774rzn14tDm/fundamentals_of_nursing_web_card__1_.svg"},

{"title": "Entrepreneurship", "show": false, "category": ["business"], "image": " https://www2.openstax.org/l/218812/2025-03-05/21frfk3/218812/1741202774rzn14tDm/fundamentals_of_nursing_web_card__1_.svg"},

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{"title": "Fundamentals of Nursing", "show": false, "category": ["nursing"], "image": "https://storage.pardot.com/218812/17660816080tzVfsjw/fundamentals_of_nursing_web_card.svg"},

{"title": "Intermediate Algebra 2e", "show": false, "category": ["math"], "image": " https://www2.openstax.org/l/218812/2025-03-05/21frfk3/218812/1741202774rzn14tDm/fundamentals_of_nursing_web_card__1_.svg"},

{"title": "Introduction to Anthropology", "show": false, "category": ["social"], "image": " https://www2.openstax.org/l/218812/2025-03-05/21frfk3/218812/1741202774rzn14tDm/fundamentals_of_nursing_web_card__1_.svg"},

{"title": "Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience", "show": false, "category": ["science", "social"], "image": " https://storage.pardot.com/218812/1745413282L4tPrzAu/introduction_to_behavioral_neuroscience_web_card.svg"},

{"title": "Introduction to Business", "show": false, "category": ["business"], "image": "https://storage.pardot.com/218812/1766081608HmAfk5Ud/introduction_to_business.svg"},

{"title": "Introduction to Computer Science", "show": false, "category": ["computer"], "image": " https://storage.pardot.com/218812/1742846294s0H7wGT1/introduction_to_computer_science_web_card.svg"},

{"title": "Introduction to Intellectual Property", "show": false, "category": ["business"], "image": " https://www2.openstax.org/l/218812/2025-03-05/21frfk3/218812/1741202774rzn14tDm/fundamentals_of_nursing_web_card__1_.svg"},

{"title": "Introduction to Philosophy", "show": false, "category": ["humanities"], "image": " https://www2.openstax.org/l/218812/2025-03-05/21frfk3/218812/1741202774rzn14tDm/fundamentals_of_nursing_web_card__1_.svg"},

{"title": "Introduction to Political Science", "show": false, "category": ["social"], "image": "https://storage.pardot.com/218812/1766081608M5dK2E9Z/introduction_to_political_science_webcard.svg"},

{"title": "Introduction to Python Programming", "show": false, "category": ["computer"], "image": " https://storage.pardot.com/218812/1742846210HckWZ6zk/introduction_to_python_programming_web_card.svg"},

{"title": "Introduction to Sociology 3e", "show": false, "category": ["social"], "image": "https://storage.pardot.com/218812/1766081609zqG1lMyW/introduction_to_sociology_3e_web_card.svg"},

{"title": "Introductory Business Statistics 2e", "show": false, "category": ["business", "math"], "image": " https://www2.openstax.org/l/218812/2025-03-05/21frfk3/218812/1741202774rzn14tDm/fundamentals_of_nursing_web_card__1_.svg"},

{"title": "Introductory Statistics 2e", "show": false, "category": ["business", "math"], "image": " https://www2.openstax.org/l/218812/2025-03-05/21frfk3/218812/1741202774rzn14tDm/fundamentals_of_nursing_web_card__1_.svg"},

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{"title": "Microbiology", "show": false, "category": ["science"], "image": "https://storage.pardot.com/218812/1766081609HKLHNnmZ/microbiology.svg"},

{"title": "Nutrition for Nurses", "show": false, "category": ["nursing"], "image": "https://storage.pardot.com/218812/1766081609cBk7Wajl/nutrition_for_nurses_web_card.svg"},

{"title": "Organic Chemistry: A Tenth Edition", "show": false, "category": ["science"], "image": " https://www2.openstax.org/l/218812/2025-03-05/21frfk3/218812/1741202774rzn14tDm/fundamentals_of_nursing_web_card__1_.svg"},

{"title": "Organizational Behavior", "show": false, "category": ["business"], "image": " https://www2.openstax.org/l/218812/2025-03-05/21frfk3/218812/1741202774rzn14tDm/fundamentals_of_nursing_web_card__1_.svg"},

{"title": "Pharmacology for Nurses", "show": false, "category": ["nursing"], "image": " https://storage.pardot.com/218812/1741202863PSEG6Pmi/pharmacology_for_nurses_web_card.svg"},

{"title": "Physics", "show": false, "category": ["science"], "image": " https://www2.openstax.org/l/218812/2025-03-05/21frfk3/218812/1741202774rzn14tDm/fundamentals_of_nursing_web_card__1_.svg"},

{"title": "Population Health for Nurses", "show": false, "category": ["nursing"], "image": "https://storage.pardot.com/218812/1766081609cIunfJOp/population_health_for_nurses_web_card.svg"},

{"title": "Prealgebra 2e", "show": false, "category": ["math"], "image": " https://www2.openstax.org/l/218812/2025-03-05/21frfk3/218812/1741202774rzn14tDm/fundamentals_of_nursing_web_card__1_.svg"},

{"title": "Precalculus 2e", "show": false, "category": ["math"], "image": " https://www2.openstax.org/l/218812/2025-03-05/21frfk3/218812/1741202774rzn14tDm/fundamentals_of_nursing_web_card__1_.svg"},

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{"title": "Principles of Accounting, Volume 1: Financial Accounting", "show": false, "category": ["business"], "image": " https://www2.openstax.org/l/218812/2025-03-05/21frfk3/218812/1741202774rzn14tDm/fundamentals_of_nursing_web_card__1_.svg"},

{"title": "Principles of Accounting, Volume 2: Managerial Accounting", "show": false, "category": ["business"], "image": " https://www2.openstax.org/l/218812/2025-03-05/21frfk3/218812/1741202774rzn14tDm/fundamentals_of_nursing_web_card__1_.svg"},

{"title": "Principles of Data Science", "show": false, "category": ["business", "computer", "math"], "image": " https://storage.pardot.com/218812/1742846364ILmT0GUS/principles_of_data_science_web_card__1_.svg"},

{"title": "Principles of Economics 3e", "show": false, "category": ["business", "social"], "image": "https://storage.pardot.com/218812/17660816085bbBsErq/Economics3e_webcard.svg"},

{"title": "Principles of Finance", "show": false, "category": ["business"], "image": " https://www2.openstax.org/l/218812/2025-03-05/21frfk3/218812/1741202774rzn14tDm/fundamentals_of_nursing_web_card__1_.svg"},

{"title": "Principles of Macroeconomics 3e", "show": false, "category": ["business", "social"], "image": " https://www2.openstax.org/l/218812/2025-03-05/21frfk3/218812/1741202774rzn14tDm/fundamentals_of_nursing_web_card__1_.svg"},

{"title": "Principles of Management", "show": false, "category": ["business"], "image": "https://storage.pardot.com/218812/1766081609rqzg03F7/principles_of_management_book_card.svg"},

{"title": "Principles of Marketing", "show": false, "category": ["business"], "image": " https://storage.pardot.com/218812/1766081609dZZmSZQp/principles_rkTJDSV.marketing.web.card_1.svg"},

{"title": "Principles of Microeconomics 3e", "show": false, "category": ["business", "social"], "image": "https://storage.pardot.com/218812/1766081610ztBwfk80/principles_microeconomics_3e_web_card.svg"},

{"title": "Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing", "show": false, "category": ["nursing"], "image": " https://storage.pardot.com/218812/1741202906tludaGTi/psychiatric_mental_health_nursing_web_card.svg"},

{"title": "Psychology 2e", "show": false, "category": ["social"], "image": "https://storage.pardot.com/218812/1766081610ihzDjzB6/psychology_2e_web_card_Nic1ENA.svg"},

{"title": "Statistics", "show": false, "category": ["math"], "image": " https://www2.openstax.org/l/218812/2025-03-05/21frfk3/218812/1741202774rzn14tDm/fundamentals_of_nursing_web_card__1_.svg"},

{"title": "U.S. History", "show": false, "category": ["humanities"], "image": "https://storage.pardot.com/218812/1766081610AfvB13i6/US_history.svg"},

{"title": "University Physics Volume 1", "show": false, "category": ["science"], "image": " https://www2.openstax.org/l/218812/2025-03-05/21frfk3/218812/1741202774rzn14tDm/fundamentals_of_nursing_web_card__1_.svg"},

{"title": "University Physics Volume 2", "show": false, "category": ["science"], "image": " https://www2.openstax.org/l/218812/2025-03-05/21frfk3/218812/1741202774rzn14tDm/fundamentals_of_nursing_web_card__1_.svg"},

{"title": "University Physics Volume 3", "show": false, "category": ["science"], "image": " https://www2.openstax.org/l/218812/2025-03-05/21frfk3/218812/1741202774rzn14tDm/fundamentals_of_nursing_web_card__1_.svg"},

{"title": "Workplace Software and Skills", "show": false, "category": ["business", "computer"], "image": " https://storage.pardot.com/218812/1742846396g2FA4zEm/workplace_software_and_skills_web_card.svg"},

{"title": "World History, Volume 1: to 1500", "show": false, "category": ["humanities"], "image": "https://storage.pardot.com/218812/1766081610hOfY8rcI/World_History_volume_1_WebCard.svg"},

{"title": "World History, Volume 2: from 1400", "show": false, "category": ["humanities"], "image": "https://storage.pardot.com/218812/1766081610gukjPh6M/World_History_volume_2_WebCard.svg"},

{"title": "Writing Guide with Handbook", "show": false, "category": ["humanities"], "image": " https://www2.openstax.org/l/218812/2025-03-05/21frfk3/218812/1741202774rzn14tDm/fundamentals_of_nursing_web_card__1_.svg]"}]

No cost, no catch: OpenStax life sciences