What is photosynthesis?

Photosynthesis is a vital process that occurs primarily in plants, where they convert sunlight into chemical energy. During this process, plants use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and water from the soil into glucose and oxygen. The glucose produced serves as an energy source for the plant, while oxygen is released as a byproduct. This transformation of light energy into chemical energy is essential not only for the plants themselves but also for the entire ecosystem, as it forms the base of the food chain.

While the other choices touch on important aspects of plant biology, they do not accurately define photosynthesis. The breakdown of glucose for energy refers to cellular respiration, which is a different process that occurs after photosynthesis has provided glucose. The absorption of water by roots is a part of the plant's intake of necessary resources but is not the defining process of how plants produce food. Reproduction in plants relates to the life cycle and propagation of species but does not pertain to the conversion of light energy into chemical energy.