Photosynthesis is the biological process by which green plants, algae, and certain other organisms convert light energy, usually from the Sun, into chemical energy stored in organic compounds like sugars. This process primarily takes place in chloroplasts within plant cells, where the green pigment chlorophyll captures light energy

. In photosynthesis, plants take in carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air through their leaves and water (H2O) from the soil through their roots. Using the energy from sunlight, these inputs are transformed into glucose (a sugar) and oxygen (O2). The oxygen is released into the atmosphere, and the glucose serves as an energy source for the plant and other organisms that consume it

. Chemically, photosynthesis can be summarized by the equation: 6CO2+6H2O+light energy→C6H12O6+6O26CO_2+6H_2O+\text{light energy}\rightarrow C_6H_{12}O_6+6O_26CO2​+6H2​O+light energy→C6​H12​O6​+6O2​ This means six molecules of carbon dioxide and six molecules of water, using light energy, produce one molecule of glucose and six molecules of oxygen

. Photosynthesis occurs in two main stages:

• The light-dependent reactions , where light energy is used to split water molecules, releasing oxygen, and producing energy carriers ATP and NADPH.
• The light-independent reactions (Calvin cycle or dark reactions), where ATP and NADPH are used to convert carbon dioxide into glucose

This process is crucial for life on Earth as it provides the oxygen we breathe and forms the base of the food chain by producing organic compounds that fuel most living organisms' metabolism

. In summary, photosynthesis is the process that transforms light energy into chemical energy, producing oxygen and organic molecules essential for life.