Photosynthesis: the process by which plants and other photoautotrophs generate carbohydrates and oxygen from carbon dioxide, water, and light energy in chloroplast. It is convenient to divide the photosynthetic process in plants into four stages, each occurring in a defined area of the chloroplast: (1) absorption of light, (2) electron transport leading to the reduction of NADP+ to NADPH, (3) generation of ATP, and (4) conversion of CO2 into carbohydrates (carbon fixation).
Answer: Photosynthesis is a multi-step process that requires sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water as substrates. It produces oxygen and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (G3P or GA3P), simple carbohydrate molecules that are high in energy and can subsequently be converted into glucose, sucrose, or other sugar molecules. These sugar molecules contain covalent bonds that store energy. Organisms break down these molecules to release energy for use in cellular work.
