What process do plants use to produce their own food using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide?

Plants use the process of photosynthesis to produce their own food. This vital process enables them to convert sunlight into chemical energy, utilizing carbon dioxide from the air and water from the soil. During photosynthesis, chlorophyll in the plant's leaves captures sunlight and uses that energy to combine carbon dioxide and water to create glucose, a simple sugar that serves as food for the plant. Oxygen is released as a byproduct of this process.

Photosynthesis is crucial for the survival of plants as it not only allows them to grow and thrive but also plays a significant role in regulating atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and producing the oxygen that many organisms, including humans, depend on for respiration. This is distinct from other processes like respiration, which is how plants and animals convert food into energy, transpiration, which involves the movement of water through a plant and its evaporation from surfaces, and decomposition, which is the breakdown of organic matter.