What is the process by which green plants use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water?

Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants, as well as some other organisms, use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen. This occurs primarily in the chloroplasts of plant cells, where chlorophyll, the green pigment, captures sunlight. The overall chemical reaction can be summarized as:

6CO₂ (carbon dioxide) + 6H₂O (water) + light energy → C₆H₁₂O₆ (glucose) + 6O₂ (oxygen)

This process is crucial for life on Earth, as it not only provides food for the plants themselves but also produces oxygen, a vital component for the survival of most living organisms. It is the foundation of the food chain, allowing energy from the sun to enter ecosystems through the organic matter produced by plants.

Respiration, on the other hand, is the process by which organisms break down glucose to release energy, which is different from photosynthesis. Fermentation is a metabolic process that occurs in the absence of oxygen, leading to the production of energy and various byproducts, and is not how plants generally derive energy. Chemosynthesis involves the conversion of carbon compounds, typically in extreme environments, through the energy derived from chemical reactions rather than