What cellular process converts light energy into chemical energy?

The process that converts light energy into chemical energy is known as photosynthesis. This process occurs primarily in the chloroplasts of plant cells, where chlorophyll captures sunlight. During photosynthesis, plants use this light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen. The glucose produced serves as a form of chemical energy that can be utilized by the plant for growth, reproduction, and metabolic activities.

Photosynthesis is critical not just for plants but also for life on Earth, as it forms the basis of the food chain and provides oxygen that many organisms require for respiration. This process is distinct from cellular respiration, which is about converting glucose into usable energy in the presence of oxygen, and from fermentation, which occurs in the absence of oxygen. Osmosis, on the other hand, pertains to the movement of water across membranes and does not involve the conversion of light energy.