What process do plants use to convert carbon dioxide into glucose?

Plants convert carbon dioxide into glucose through the process known as photosynthesis. During photosynthesis, plants capture sunlight using chlorophyll, the green pigment in their leaves. This light energy is used to convert water and carbon dioxide into glucose and oxygen. The overall chemical equation for photosynthesis can be summarized as:

6 CO₂ + 6 H₂O + light energy → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6 O₂.

This process occurs primarily in the chloroplasts of plant cells and is crucial for providing the organic compounds and energy needed for growth and metabolism in plants.

While the Calvin cycle is indeed a part of photosynthesis, specifically referring to the series of biochemical reactions that convert carbon dioxide into glucose using the energy produced during the light-dependent reactions, the broader process that encompasses all of these activities is photosynthesis itself. Other options, such as cellular respiration and fermentation, pertain to the breakdown of glucose for energy rather than the synthesis of glucose from carbon dioxide.