Photosynthesis Explained: How Plants Make Food

Photosynthesis begins when sunlight strikes the surface of a leaf.Inside the leaf cells are specialized structures called chloroplasts, which contain the green pigment chlorophyll.Let's look closer at a single chloroplast. Inside, we find stacks of membranes called thylakoids.Chlorophyll molecules in these membranes capture light energy, particularly red and blue wavelengths of the spectrum.The absorbed light energy is converted into chemical energy through a series of complex reactions in the thylakoid membranes.This process produces high-energy molecules: ATP and NADPH, which will be used in the next stage of photosynthesis.As photosynthesis completes, glucose becomes available as the plant's primary energy source.During this process, oxygen is released as a byproduct through small pores called stomata.The glucose produced can be converted into different forms for storage and structure.Glucose serves multiple purposes in the plant. It provides immediate energy, supports growth and repair, forms cell walls, and can be stored for later use.Excess glucose is converted to starch and stored in specialized compartments called vacuoles and plastids.