What process converts light energy into simple sugars?

Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants, algae, and certain bacteria convert light energy, typically from the sun, into chemical energy in the form of simple sugars. During this process, chlorophyll in the chloroplasts absorbs sunlight and uses that energy to convert carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and water from the soil into glucose and oxygen. The overall chemical reaction can be simplified as:

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

This process is fundamental to life on Earth as it forms the basis of the food chain. The simple sugars produced during photosynthesis serve as a primary energy source for plants and are also used to produce starches and other carbohydrates that can be consumed by other organisms, including humans.

In contrast, respiration is the process by which organisms convert the energy stored in sugars into usable energy (ATP) in the presence of oxygen, but it does not create glucose. Fermentation occurs in the absence of oxygen and converts sugars into energy, but it results in byproducts like alcohol or lactic acid rather than producing simple sugars. Decomposition is the breakdown of organic material by decomposers and does not involve the conversion of light energy into