Photosynthesis. (Source: © GraphicsRF / stock.adobe.com)

The process by which plants and algae use energy from the sun to synthesize sugars and starches from water and carbon dioxide to serve as an energy store. Photons are captured in the cells by the chlorophyll molecule. It uses the blue and red parts of the spectrum and reflects the remaining light, making plants appear green. Oxygen is produced as a waste product of photosynthesis. The chemical energy bound up in plant tissues can then be used further, either in the plant’s metabolic processes or in the conversion of biomass into fuel.