Photosynthesis is the biochemical process by which green plants, algae, and some bacteria convert light energy, usually 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 light energy.
The general equation for photosynthesis can be represented as:
\[ 6 \text{CO}_2 + 6 \text{H}_2\text{O} + \text{light energy} \rightarrow \text{C}6\text{H}{12}\text{O}_6 + 6 \text{O}_2 \]
In simpler terms, carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water (H₂O) are used, along with light energy, to produce glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆) and oxygen (O₂) as a byproduct. Photosynthesis consists of two main stages: the light-dependent reactions, which capture and convert solar energy into chemical energy (ATP and NADPH), and the light-independent reactions, often referred to as the Calvin cycle, which use the chemical energy to synthesize glucose from carbon dioxide.