What is the process called that enables green plants to synthesize food using sunlight?

The process that enables green plants to synthesize food using sunlight is known as photosynthesis. During this process, plants convert light energy, typically from the sun, into chemical energy in the form of glucose. This transformation occurs primarily in the chloroplasts, where chlorophyll—the green pigment in plants—captures sunlight.

Photosynthesis involves two main stages: the light-dependent reactions and the light-independent reactions, also known as the Calvin cycle. In the light-dependent reactions, sunlight is absorbed, leading to the splitting of water molecules (photolysis), which releases oxygen as a byproduct and generates energy-carrying molecules like ATP and NADPH. These molecules then fuel the Calvin cycle, wherein carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is fixed to produce glucose.

This process is essential not only for plants but also for life on Earth, as it forms the base of the food chain and produces oxygen, which is vital for the respiration of most living organisms.