How do plants convert sunlight into food through photosynthesis?

Photosynthesis occurs primarily in the chloroplasts of plant cells, using the green pigment chlorophyll to capture light energy. The process has two main stages. In the light-dependent reactions, sunlight splits water molecules, releasing oxygen as a byproduct and generating energy carriers ATP and NADPH. In the Calvin cycle, these energy carriers power the conversion of carbon dioxide from the air into glucose, a sugar the plant uses for energy and growth. The overall equation is six molecules of CO2 plus six molecules of water, powered by light, producing one glucose molecule and six oxygen molecules. This process essentially stores solar energy in chemical bonds, forming the foundation of nearly all food chains on Earth.