The process by which plants create their own food is called photosynthesis. This remarkable biochemical process occurs primarily in the chloroplasts of plant cells, where chlorophyll, the green pigment, captures sunlight. During photosynthesis, plants convert carbon dioxide from the air and water from the soil into glucose and oxygen. The basic equation for photosynthesis can be summarized as carbon dioxide + water + sunlight → glucose + oxygen. This process not only fuels the plants themselves but also plays an essential role in the Earth's ecosystems by providing oxygen and serving as the foundation of the food chain.