What process allows plants to convert carbon dioxide and water into organic molecules using sunlight?

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants, algae, and certain bacteria convert carbon dioxide and water into organic compounds, primarily glucose, using sunlight as an energy source. This process takes place mainly in the leaves of plants, where chlorophyll captures light energy. During photosynthesis, carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and water taken up by the roots combine, facilitated by the energy from sunlight. The overall reaction can be summarized by the equation:

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

This shows that for every six molecules of carbon dioxide and six molecules of water, one molecule of glucose is produced, and oxygen is released as a byproduct. Photosynthesis is critical for life on Earth, as it provides the organic materials that form the basis of the food web and contributes oxygen to the atmosphere.

The other processes listed do not involve the conversion of carbon dioxide and water into organic molecules using sunlight. Respiration is the metabolic process that breaks down glucose to release energy, transpiration involves the movement of water through plants and its evaporation from aerial parts, and evapotranspiration is a term that refers to the combined processes of evaporation and transpiration from the Earth's surface into the atmosphere.