What process do plants use to convert light energy into chemical energy, storing it as glucose?

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

Answer: (C)

Plants convert light energy into chemical energy stored in glucose through photosynthesis. In the chloroplasts, pigments like chlorophyll capture light and drive two linked sets of reactions. The light-dependent reactions use light to split water, releasing oxygen and producing ATP and NADPH. The Calvin cycle then uses those energy carriers to fix carbon dioxide into sugar, creating glucose that stores energy in its chemical bonds. This is why light energy becomes chemical energy in glucose. Other processes do not store energy as glucose: respiration breaks glucose to release energy, transpiration involves water loss, and fermentation is an anaerobic way to harvest a smaller amount of energy from sugars.