What process do green plants use to convert sunlight into chemical energy?

Green plants utilize a process called photosynthesis to convert sunlight into chemical energy. This process occurs primarily in the chloroplasts of plant cells, where chlorophyll absorbs sunlight. During photosynthesis, plants take in carbon dioxide from the air and water from the soil. The energy gained from sunlight enables the plants to convert these raw materials into glucose, a simple sugar that serves as an energy source for the plant. Oxygen is released as a byproduct of this process.

Photosynthesis is fundamental to life on Earth, as it not only provides energy for the plants themselves but also produces oxygen and organic compounds that support a wide range of other life forms. The overall equation for photosynthesis illustrates this transformation: carbon dioxide and water, in the presence of sunlight, are converted into glucose and oxygen.

In contrast, cellular respiration is a separate metabolic process wherein organisms break down glucose to release energy, fermentation is an energy-producing process that occurs in absence of oxygen and typically in anaerobic conditions, and oxidation is a chemical reaction that involves the loss of electrons, which does not specifically relate to the conversion of sunlight into chemical energy in plants.