Final answer:
Carbon fixation is a crucial process in photosynthesis where carbon dioxide is converted into organic compounds. It is fundamental to life, providing plants the necessary building blocks for growth and animals with their food base.
Step-by-step explanation:
Carbon fixation is a process in photosynthesis where energy from the sun is used to convert, or fix, atmospheric carbon dioxide into stable, organic compounds. It's mainly undertaken by green plants, and is the first step of the Calvin cycle. Carbon fixation is crucial to life on Earth as it moves carbon from the atmosphere into the biosphere, thereby making it accessible to both plants and animals.
For plants, carbon fixation provides the organic compounds necessary for growth, which serves as the base of the food chain. For animals, it's fundamental because they rely on plants (directly or indirectly) for consumption. Without carbon fixation, most life forms on Earth would not have access to the energy and carbon needed for survival.
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