Final answer:
Carbon dioxide in plants is stored in the stroma of chloroplasts after entering through the stomata, whereas water is transported via the plant's vascular system. Both CO₂ and H₂O are then used in the chloroplast during the light-independent reactions of photosynthesis to produce glucose.
Step-by-step explanation:
In plants, carbon dioxide (CO₂) enters through the stomata and makes its way to the mesophyll cells, where it eventually diffuses into the chloroplast. Within the chloroplast, CO₂ is temporarily stored in the stroma, the fluid-filled interior space that surrounds the thylakoids. The stroma is the site where the light-independent reactions or Calvin cycle of photosynthesis occur, and carbon dioxide is used to produce glucose. On the other hand, water (H₂O) is absorbed through the roots and transported to the chloroplasts via the vascular system of the plant.
The detailed process of photosynthesis involves two main stages: the light-dependent reactions and the light-independent reactions. During the light-dependent reactions, which take place in the thylakoid membranes, light energy is captured and converted into chemical energy as ATP and NADPH. These energy-carrying molecules are then used in the stroma during the light-independent reactions to fix carbon dioxide and convert it into glucose.