What term describes the energy conversion process in green plants?

The energy conversion process in green plants is best described by the term photosynthesis. This process allows plants to convert light energy, usually from the sun, into chemical energy stored in glucose. During photosynthesis, plants take in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and water from the soil, using sunlight to transform these inputs into glucose and oxygen. The general equation for photosynthesis can be summarized as:

6 CO2 + 6 H2O + light energy → C6H12O6 + 6 O2.

Photosynthesis is crucial for life on Earth as it not only provides energy and organic compounds for the plants themselves but also produces oxygen, which is vital for the survival of aerobic organisms, including humans.

In contrast, cellular respiration is the process by which organisms convert glucose and oxygen into energy (ATP), carbon dioxide, and water, effectively using the energy stored during photosynthesis. Metabolism refers to all biochemical processes occurring in an organism, which includes both photosynthesis and cellular respiration as part of energy transformation. Digestion pertains specifically to the breakdown of food into simpler components that can be absorbed and utilized by an organism, which is a separate process from energy conversion in plants.