Photosynthesis

'Photo' refers to light and 'synthesis' means preparation. Thus, photosynthesis is the process by which the green plants use light energy of the sun to synthesize carbohydrates. Carbohydrates like the simple sugars (glucose) can be stored as starch.

The green plants are eaten on by the herbivores which in turn are consumed by carnivores. Ultimately, the decomposers derive their nutrition from the dead plants and animals. Thus, all organisms are directly or indirectly dependent on the green plants. The green plants synthesize food by photosynthesis. Thus photosynthesis is the most important life sustaining process of nature.

Photosynthesis is a series of biochemical reactions which can be essentially summarised as follows:

Thus, photosynthesis can be defined as a process which utilises carbon dioxide and water in the presence of sunlight and chlorophyll to synthesize carbohydrates like glucose.