The manufacturing of sugar from water and carbon dioxide in the presence of green chlorophyll with sunlight as energy source is termed:

• A. Fermentation
• B. Transpiration
• C. Respiration
• D. Photosynthesis

Answer: (D)

Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants capture light energy with chlorophyll to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose, releasing oxygen as a byproduct. This saves energy in chemical bonds of sugar using sunlight, which is exactly what the described scenario—sugar production from water and carbon dioxide in the presence of chlorophyll and sunlight—depicts. The other terms refer to different processes: fermentation happens without oxygen and breaks sugars into alcohol or lactic acid; respiration breaks down sugars to release energy, using oxygen; transpiration is simply the loss of water vapor from plant surfaces. Thus, the best fit for the described process is photosynthesis.