What process do plants use to convert sunlight into chemical energy?

Plants utilize photosynthesis as the process to convert sunlight into chemical energy. During photosynthesis, plants absorb light energy from the sun using chlorophyll located in their leaves. This light energy is then used to convert carbon dioxide from the air and water from the soil into glucose and oxygen. The glucose produced serves as a form of chemical energy that plants use for growth, reproduction, and cellular functions.

This process occurs primarily in chloroplasts and involves two main stages: the light-dependent reactions and the light-independent reactions (Calvin cycle). In the light-dependent reactions, sunlight is captured and converted into chemical energy in the form of ATP and NADPH. The Calvin cycle then uses these energy carriers to synthesize glucose from carbon dioxide.

The other options do not serve the function of directly converting sunlight into chemical energy. Cellular respiration refers to the process by which organisms break down glucose to produce ATP, which is the opposite of what photosynthesis does. Transpiration is the process of water movement through a plant and its evaporation from aerial parts and does not involve energy conversion. Fermentation is an anaerobic process that converts sugar to acids, gases, or alcohol, typically occurring when oxygen is not available, and does not involve sunlight or the production of oxygen as a