"prokaryote
organism whose cells lack a nucleus"
– Prentice Hall Biology (Prentice, 2004), p. 1100, col. 2
wrong
definition
This definition says prokaryotes are multi-
cellular, whereas in fact they are unicellular. The text itself admits this on p. 471, par. 3, lines 3-5.
"Photosynthesis is the process by which plants use carbon dioxide and the energy from sunlight to make sugar and carbon dioxide."
– Holt Biology (Holt, 2004), p. 115, top right margin, "Answers to Before You Begin," no. 1, Teacher's Edition
wrong product
Photosynthesis produces sugar and oxygen, not sugar and carbon dioxide. The text itself admits this on p. 97, par. 3 - par. 4, line 6.
"With each successive half-life, the total amount of material decayed decreases."
– Holt Biology (Holt, 2004), p. 252, left margin, "Using the Figure," lines 11-13, Teacher's Edition
wrong concept
In radiometric dating, with each successive half-life, the total amount
of decayed material does not decrease. It increases. The
additional amount of decayed material decreases with each successive half-life.
"During mitosis, metaphase is the stage that distributes identical chromosomes to what will become two new cells."
– Biology: Dynamics of Life (Glencoe, 2004), p. 279, right margin, no. 30, lines 1-5, Teacher's Edition
wrong stage
This stage in mitosis is anaphase, not metaphase.
"The great majority of
bacteria are unicellular."
– Biology: Dynamics of Life (Glencoe, 2004), p. 487, top left, "Figure 18.10," caption, lines 1-2
wrong description
All bacteria – not "the great majority of" them – are unicellular.
The text itself admits this on p. 486, col. 2, par. 2, lines 1-2; and on p. 550, col. 1, bottom par., line 1
Q: "Spinach is a long-day plant that grows best with a night length of 10
hours. Why is spinach not usually grown in the northern United States?"
– Prentice Hall Biology (Prentice, 2004), p. 652, no. 25
A: "The number of night hours in the northern United States is fewer
than ten. The day length is too short for spinach to bloom."
– Prentice Hall Biology (Prentice, 2004), p. 652, left margin, no. 25, Teacher's Edition
wrong logic
If spinach is a long-day plant that grows best with 10-hour nights, and
"the number of night hours … is fewer than ten," the day length cannot be "too short for spinach to bloom."
"Identify how changes in DNA cause mutations."
– Holt Biology (Holt, 2004), p. 189, "Quick Review," no. 4
wrong concept
Changes in DNA do not cause mutations. They are mutations.
The text itself admits this on p. 8, par. 3, lines 1-2; and on p. 1094, col. 3, "mutation."
"… most plant life cycles include an alternation of generations."
– Biology: Dynamics of Life (Glencoe, 2004), p. 633, par. 1, lines 1-2
wrong description
All – not most – plant life cycles include alternation of generations.
The text itself admits this on p. 562, col. 2, par. 4, lines 1-3; on p. 562, "Figure 21.5,"
caption; on p. 577, par. 2, lines 1-2; on p. 581, bottom par., lines 1-2; and on p. 1114, col. 1, "
alternation of generations."
Q: "Which cell structure could serve as a storage location for water?"
– Prentice Hall Biology (Prentice, 2004), p. 183, "Figure 7-13," caption, lines 5-7
A: "The chloroplast"
– Prentice Hall Biology (Prentice, 2004), p. 183, bottom right margin, "Answer to … Figure 7-13," Teacher's Edition
wrong organelle
Vacuoles, not chloroplasts, store water. The text itself admits this on p. 179, par. 3, lines 2-4.
"obligate anaerobe
organism that does not require oxygen in order to live"
– Prentice Hall Biology (Prentice, 2004), p. 1098, col. 2
wrong definition
This is the definition of a facultative anaerobe, not of an obligate anaerobe.
Obligate anaerobes cannot live in the presence of oxygen. The text itself admits this on p. 474, par. 5, lines 1-3 and par. 6, lines 1-2.
wrong
definition
All precipitation has a pH below 7. The cleanest rainwater picks up carbonic acid from dissolved carbon dioxide.
"acid precipitation: rain, snow, sleet, or fog with a pH below 7 …."
– Biology: Dynamics of Life (Glencoe, 2004), p. 1113, col. 1
Glencoe, Holt, and Prentice have submitted three
regular (non-AP) Biology books in Texas. They filed notarized affidavits that they edited them for accuracy.
The state review panel "checked" them for errors. But publishers poorly edited them.
The review panel carelessly read them. They missed 110 ERRORS OF FACT, which publishers agreed to correct after seeing our lists.
"endothermic
describes a process in which heat is absorbed from the environment (724)"
– Holt Biology (Holt, 2004), p. 1089, col. 3
wrong definition
This is the definition for "ectothermic," the process in which animals absorb heat from the environment.
In the context of animal metabolism cited on p. 724, "endothermic" refers to some animals' ability to produce their own heat internally, independent of the environment.
"In meiosis, metaphase I is the point where alleles in a cell, diploid
for a characteristic, separate from one another, thereby becoming haploid."
– Biology: Dynamics of Life (Glencoe, 2004), p. 279, right margin, no. 30, lines 8-13, Teacher's Edition
wrong stage
This stage in meiosis is anaphase I, not metaphase I.
"In most sexually reproducing organisms, each adult has two copies of each gene from each parent."
– Prentice Hall Biology (Prentice, 2004), p. 282, left margin, no. 11(3), lines 1-3, Teacher's Edition
wrong number
Each adult has one copy – not two copies – of each gene from each parent. The text itself admits this on p. 272, par. 1, bullet 3, lines 1-2.
"Figure 35-12 shows the type of photoreceptor that distinguishes the color of objects."
– Prentice Hall Biology (Prentice, 2004), p. 906, par. 2, lines 14-15
wrong photoreceptor
This figure shows "the rod cells of an eye," according to its caption. Rods do not "distinguish the color of objects." Cones do. The text itself admits this on p. 907, par. 2, lines 5-8.
"A 5K race is about 16,393 ft, which is equal to 5,464 yd …."
– Holt Biology (Holt, 2004), p. 15, right margin, "Real Life - Answer," lines 1-2, Teacher's Edition
"227 kg (550 lb)"
– Holt Biology (Holt, 2004), p. 277, right margin,
"Galapagos Giant Tortoises," line 11, Teacher's Edition
"300 m (969 ft)"
– Holt Biology (Holt, 2004), p. 386, par. 2, line 2
"about 2.5 kg (about 6.5 lb)"
– Holt Biology (Holt, 2004), p. 722, bottom margin, "did you know?," col. 2, line 4, Teacher's Edition
"6,000 m [9,000 ft]"
– Holt Biology (Holt, 2004), p. 885, right margin, "Discussion/Question," line 11, Teacher's Edition
"about 5 L (2.6 gal)"
– Holt Biology (Holt, 2004), p. 913, right margin, "SKILL BUILDER - GENERAL," line 2, Teacher's Edition
wrong equivalents
5 km ≈ 16,404 ft,
not ca. 16,393 ft;
or about 5,468 yd,
not 5,464 yd.
227 kg ≈ 499 lb,
not 550 lb.
300 m ≈ 984 ft,
not 969 ft.
2.5 kg = 5.5 lb,
not 6.5 lb.
6,000 m = 19,685 ft,
not 9,000 ft.
5 L ≈ 1.3 gal,
not 2.6 gal.
wrong uniquenesses
Jointed appendages are not "unique to arthropods." Reptiles, birds, and mammals have them.
Segmented bodies are not "unique to arthropods." Annelids (segmented worms) have them.
Q: "Describe two features that are unique to arthropods."
– Biology: Dynamics of Life (Glencoe, 2004), p. 746, "Section Assessment," no. 2
A: "jointed appendages, segmented bodies, …"
– Biology: Dynamics of Life (Glencoe, 2004), p. 746, bottom margin, "Section Assessment," no. 2, Teacher's Edition
wrong description
Photoheterotrophs and chemoheterotrophs do not make their own food from inorganic molecules.
The text itself states (p. 1099, col. 2, "photoheterotroph") that photoheterotrophs "need organic compounds
as a carbon source," and that chemoheterotrophs "take in organic molecules for both energy and carbon"
(p. 1090, col. 1, "chemoheterotroph").
Q: "State one way in which photoheterotrophs are similar to chemoheterotrophs."
– Prentice Hall Biology (Prentice, 2004), p. 493, no. 16
A: "They are similar in that both make their own food from inorganic molecules."
– Prentice Hall Biology (Prentice, 2004), p. 493, right margin, no. 16, lines 1-3, Teacher's Edition
wrong example
Instances of polydactyly among the Amish are not "a result of natural selection"
because they are not a favorable variation and have no survival advantage. Nor are the Amish an instance of speciation.
Q: "Explain the different ways in which a new species can evolve as a result of natural
selection. Give examples of species that illustrate and support your conclusions"
– Biology: Dynamics of Life (Glencoe, 2004), p. 418, no. 11
A: "An example is polydactyly in the Amish community of Lancaster County, PA."
– Biology: Dynamics of Life (Glencoe, 2004), p. 418, left margin, no. 11, lines 4-7, Teacher's Edition
"Show students … slime molds, or other examples of fungi that are available."
– Biology: Dynamics of Life (Glencoe, 2004), p. 528, bottom margin, "Two-Minute Chapter Launcher," col. 1, Teacher's Edition
wrong kingdom
Slime molds are protists, not fungi. The text itself admits this on p. 517, bottom section, par. 1, lines 1-2; and on p. 553, col. 1, par. 2, line 1.
"Donald Johanson An American paleontologist and his team find a nearly complete skeleton of Australopithecus,
which they call Lucy …."
– Prentice Hall Biology (Prentice, 2004), p. 837, time line, "1974," lines 1-4
wrong description
"Lucy" was not "nearly complete." Only about 40% of her skeleton exists.
See "40 Percent of Lucy After 3 Million Years," Science News, Vol. 107, no. 1 (January 4, 1975), 4.
"In the mid-1850s, Dr. Lister became the first physician to treat patients with an antiseptic during surgery."
– Holt Biology (Holt, 2004), p. 409, top box, "Yesterday …," lines 5-7
wrong decade
Lister pioneered antiseptic surgery in the mid-1860s, not the mid-1850s.
"… the liver, a large organ located just above and to the left of the stomach."
– Prentice Hall Biology (Prentice, 2004), p. 982, par. 1, lines 1-2
wrong location
The liver is above and to the right – not above and to the left – of the stomach. The text itself admits this on p. 979, "Figure 38-10."
