Final answer:
Light energy from the sun is transformed into chemical energy during photosynthesis through a two-step process. Initially, light energy is absorbed by chlorophyll and converted into chemical energy as ATP and NADPH during the light-dependent reactions. Then, the Calvin cycle utilizes this energy to synthesize glucose out of carbon dioxide.
Step-by-step explanation:
Transformation of Light Energy to Chemical Energy in Photosynthesis
During photosynthesis, light energy is transformed into the chemical energy stored in sugars through a two-stage process involving light-dependent reactions and light-independent reactions. In the first stage, the light-dependent reactions, energy from sunlight is captured by chlorophyll in the chloroplasts and converted into a temporary chemical energy form as molecules of ATP and NADPH. The light-independent reactions, also known as the Calvin cycle, then use the energy from these molecules to fix carbon dioxide (CO₂) into glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆).
The process begins when energy from sunlight is absorbed by chlorophyll in the thylakoid membranes of the chloroplast, which results in the production of energy carriers ATP and NADPH. These carriers then transfer the energy to the Calvin cycle, where it is used to convert CO₂ into glucose. This multistep pathway ensures that light energy is efficiently converted into the chemical energy within the bonds of glucose molecules.