Final answer:
Chloroplasts in plant cells capture energy from sunlight for photosynthesis, which produces glucose and oxygen from carbon dioxide and water. Chlorophyll within chloroplasts enables this process, making plants self-sufficient in food production.
Step-by-step explanation:
The plant cell structure that captures energy from sunlight to make food is the chloroplast. Chloroplasts contain a green pigment known as chlorophyll, which is essential for the process of photosynthesis. This process involves taking light energy from the sun and converting it, along with water and carbon dioxide, into sugars like glucose which plants use as food.
Photosynthesis can be summarized by the chemical equation: 6 CO₂ + 6 H₂O + light energy → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6 O₂. Through this process, not only do plants produce food for themselves, but they also generate oxygen, a vital element for animal life.
Unlike animals, plants are autotrophs, which means they are capable of making their own food thanks to chloroplasts and can store it in the form of starch or cellulose. Starch acts as an energy reserve while cellulose provides structural support for the plant.