Which process involves the trapping of energy by plants and algae?

Which process involves the trapping of energy by plants and algae?

• A. Respiration
• B. Photosynthesis
• C. Transpiration
• D. Fermentation

Answer: (B)

Photosynthesis is the process in which plants and algae capture energy from sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen. This process is essential for producing the organic compounds that serve as food for the plant, and ultimately for other organisms in the ecosystem. During photosynthesis, chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants, absorbs sunlight, which provides the energy needed to power the chemical reactions that synthesize glucose from inorganic molecules. This process is fundamental to life on Earth, as it forms the basis of the food chain and contributes to the oxygen content of the atmosphere, making it crucial for the survival of most living organisms. In contrast, processes like respiration involve the breakdown of glucose to release energy, transpiration is related to the movement of water through plant tissues and its evaporation from aerial parts, and fermentation is an anaerobic process used by some organisms to extract energy without oxygen. Understanding photosynthesis helps in grasping the flow of energy through ecosystems and the significance of primary producers in ecological interactions.

Photosynthesis is the process in which plants and algae capture energy from sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen. This process is essential for producing the organic compounds that serve as food for the plant, and ultimately for other organisms in the ecosystem. During photosynthesis, chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants, absorbs sunlight, which provides the energy needed to power the chemical reactions that synthesize glucose from inorganic molecules.

This process is fundamental to life on Earth, as it forms the basis of the food chain and contributes to the oxygen content of the atmosphere, making it crucial for the survival of most living organisms.

In contrast, processes like respiration involve the breakdown of glucose to release energy, transpiration is related to the movement of water through plant tissues and its evaporation from aerial parts, and fermentation is an anaerobic process used by some organisms to extract energy without oxygen. Understanding photosynthesis helps in grasping the flow of energy through ecosystems and the significance of primary producers in ecological interactions.