What process do plants use to convert sunlight into energy?

What process do plants use to convert sunlight into energy?

• A. Respiration
• B. Fermentation
• C. Photosynthesis
• D. Transpiration

Answer: (C)

Plants use the process of photosynthesis to convert sunlight into energy. During photosynthesis, chlorophyll within the plant's chloroplasts captures sunlight and uses it to convert carbon dioxide from the air and water from the soil into glucose and oxygen. The glucose produced serves as an energy source for the plant, fueling its growth and metabolic processes. This process is vital not only for plants but also for almost all life forms on Earth, as it forms the foundation of the food chain. Photosynthesis directly affects atmospheric oxygen levels and the overall carbon cycle, contributing to the sustainability of ecosystems. In contrast, respiration is a metabolic process where organisms convert glucose into usable energy, which occurs in both plants and animals but does not involve sunlight. Fermentation is an anaerobic process used by some organisms to break down sugars for energy without oxygen, typically in low-oxygen environments. Transpiration refers to the process by which water is absorbed by plants and then evaporates from their leaves, which plays a role in nutrient transport but does not produce energy.

Plants use the process of photosynthesis to convert sunlight into energy. During photosynthesis, chlorophyll within the plant's chloroplasts captures sunlight and uses it to convert carbon dioxide from the air and water from the soil into glucose and oxygen. The glucose produced serves as an energy source for the plant, fueling its growth and metabolic processes.

This process is vital not only for plants but also for almost all life forms on Earth, as it forms the foundation of the food chain. Photosynthesis directly affects atmospheric oxygen levels and the overall carbon cycle, contributing to the sustainability of ecosystems.

In contrast, respiration is a metabolic process where organisms convert glucose into usable energy, which occurs in both plants and animals but does not involve sunlight. Fermentation is an anaerobic process used by some organisms to break down sugars for energy without oxygen, typically in low-oxygen environments. Transpiration refers to the process by which water is absorbed by plants and then evaporates from their leaves, which plays a role in nutrient transport but does not produce energy.