What process do plants use to turn sunlight into food?

Plants use photosynthesis to convert sunlight into food, specifically in the form of glucose, which serves as their primary energy source. During this process, chlorophyll in the plant's leaves captures sunlight. Plants take in carbon dioxide from the air and water from the soil. Through a series of complex reactions, these elements are combined in the presence of sunlight, producing glucose and releasing oxygen as a byproduct.

Photosynthesis is crucial not only for the survival of the plants themselves but also for the entire ecosystem, as it ultimately provides energy for herbivores, carnivores, and even humans who rely on plants either directly or indirectly for food. The other options listed pertain to different biological processes; respiration involves breaking down glucose for energy, germination refers to the process by which a seed develops into a new plant, and transpiration is the process of water movement through a plant and its evaporation from leaves, none of which directly involve the conversion of sunlight into food.