Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants and certain types of bacteria make carbohydrates, beginning only with carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). Carbohydrates are complex chemical compounds that occur widely in plants and that serve as an important food source for animals. Sugar, starch, and cellulose are among the most common carbohydrates. The energy needed to make photosynthesis possible comes from sunlight, which explains the term photo ("light") synthesis ("to make"). The absorption of sunlight in plants takes place in specific molecules known as chlorophyll (KLOR-uh-fill) that give plants their green color.
Photosynthesis can be represented by means of a simple chemical equation:
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