The process you are referring to is photosynthesis. During photosynthesis, plants, algae, and some bacteria convert radiant energy from the sun into chemical energy stored in glucose. This process primarily occurs in the chloroplasts of plant cells and involves the use of chlorophyll, the green pigment that captures sunlight.
The overall chemical equation for photosynthesis can be summarized as:
\[ 6 \text{CO}_2 + 6 \text{H}_2\text{O} + \text{light energy} \rightarrow \text{C}6\text{H}{12}\text{O}_6 + 6 \text{O}_2 \]
This means that six molecules of carbon dioxide and six molecules of water, in the presence of light energy, are converted into one molecule of glucose and six molecules of oxygen. The glucose produced can then be used by the plant for energy and growth or stored for later use.
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