Photosynthesis is a biological process by which green plants, algae, and some bacteria convert light energy, usually from the sun, into chemical energy in the form of glucose (a sugar). During this process, these organisms use carbon dioxide from the air and water from the soil, along with sunlight, to produce glucose and oxygen as byproducts. The overall chemical equation for photosynthesis can be summarized as:
\[ \text{6 CO}_2 + \text{6 H}_2\text{O} + \text{light energy} \rightarrow \text{C}6\text{H}{12}\text{O}_6 + \text{6 O}_2 \]
This means that six molecules of carbon dioxide and six molecules of water, using light energy, produce one molecule of glucose and six molecules of oxygen. Photosynthesis is crucial for life on Earth as it is the primary source of organic matter for nearly all organisms and produces the oxygen necessary for aerobic respiration.
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