In photosynthesis, what do plants primarily take in from the environment?

In photosynthesis, plants primarily take in carbon dioxide from the environment, which is a key reactant in the process of converting light energy into chemical energy. During photosynthesis, plants use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen.

Carbon dioxide is absorbed from the air through small openings on the leaves called stomata. Once inside the leaf, carbon dioxide enters the chloroplasts where the photosynthesis process occurs. The energy captured from sunlight helps to drive the conversion of carbon dioxide and water into glucose, which serves as an energy source for the plant, and oxygen, which is released as a byproduct into the atmosphere.

Understanding the role of carbon dioxide is fundamental to grasping how plants contribute to life on Earth by producing the oxygen we breathe and serving as the base of the food chain.