Final answer:
Photosynthesis is the process by which autotrophs convert light energy into chemical energy, storing it in glucose molecules. This occurs within chloroplasts where sunlight energizes electrons, leading to the creation of ATP and NADPH. This stored energy supports the food chain and reflects historical energy capture.
Step-by-step explanation:
Photosynthesis is a fundamental biological process through which autotrophs, such as plants and some bacteria, convert light energy from the sun into chemical energy. This process takes place inside organelles called chloroplasts, specifically within the thylakoid membranes. During the light reactions of photosynthesis, light energy energizes electrons that move through an electron transport chain which results in the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and NADPH, molecules that temporarily store the captured energy.
The overall chemical reaction for photosynthesis can be summarized as 6CO2 + 6H2O + Light Energy → C6H12O6 + 6O2, where carbon dioxide and water, in the presence of light, are transformed into glucose and oxygen. The glucose formed is a carbohydrate molecule that stores the chemical energy and can be used by the plant, and by extension, organisms that consume the plant. It's important to note that plants use specific wavelengths of light and that the energy stored in glucose is later accessible to heterotrophs through the food chain.
Moreover, this stored energy, when extracted today by the burning of coal and petroleum products, represents sunlight energy that was captured through photosynthesis millions of years ago. This highlights the importance of photosynthesis in both current and ancient energy systems on Earth.