Final answer:
During photosynthesis, solar energy is converted into glucose and oxygen. The energy used by living things comes from photosynthesis and the carbon needed for carbohydrate molecules comes from carbon dioxide.
Step-by-step explanation:
Photosynthesis is the process where carbon dioxide and water combine with solar energy to create glucose and oxygen. The energy used by living things on Earth comes from the process of photosynthesis. During photosynthesis, the energy from the sun is converted and packaged into ATP and NADPH molecules, which are used to build carbohydrate molecules for energy storage. The carbon needed to build these molecules comes from carbon dioxide, a waste product of respiration in microbes, fungi, plants, and animals.