The overall reaction of photosynthesis can be summarized by the following equation:
\[ 6 \text{CO}_2 + 6 \text{H}_2\text{O} + \text{light energy} \rightarrow \text{C}6\text{H}{12}\text{O}_6 + 6 \text{O}_2 \]
In this equation:
- \( \text{CO}_2 \) represents carbon dioxide, which is absorbed from the atmosphere.
- \( \text{H}_2\text{O} \) represents water, which is absorbed by the roots of plants.
- \( \text{C}6\text{H}{12}\text{O}_6 \) is glucose, a simple sugar that serves as an energy source for the plant.
- \( \text{O}_2 \) is oxygen, which is released as a byproduct.
This equation captures the essence of the photosynthesis process, during which light energy is converted into chemical energy stored in glucose.