Final answer:
The disappearance of water due to sunlight is a physical change, while the conversion of water and carbon dioxide into sugar and oxygen by plants, powered by sunlight, is a chemical change known as photosynthesis.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the sunlight shines upon water, causing it to disappear, this is a physical change known as evaporation; the water changes from a liquid to a gas without undergoing a change in its chemical composition.
In contrast, the same sunlight provides energy to the surrounding plants to convert water and carbon dioxide into sugar and oxygen gas, a chemical change known as photosynthesis. During photosynthesis, plants use the radiant energy from sunlight to drive a chemical reaction that produces glucose, a sugar that acts as food for the plant, and oxygen gas, a byproduct necessary for animal life.
This complex transformation is critical for life on Earth, as it involves capturing and storing chemical energy in glucose's stable covalent bonds, a form of energy that living organisms use to fuel their metabolism.