Final answer:
Chloroplasts are organelles found in plants and some protists like algae, which allow these organisms to generate their own energy through photosynthesis. Containing chlorophyll, chloroplasts capture light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose.
Step-by-step explanation:
Chloroplasts are specialized organelles found in eukaryotic organisms that conduct photosynthesis. These include plants and certain protists like algae. Cellular structures such as chloroplasts are essential for organisms to generate their own energy by converting sunlight into chemical energy via the process of photosynthesis. By using light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose, chloroplasts enable an organism to produce its food source, thus being autotrophic. Organisms that possess chloroplasts and can photosynthesize are referred to as photoautotrophs, which include plants and algae, but not animals or fungi.
The pigment chlorophyll, contained within chloroplasts, is crucial for capturing the light energy required for photosynthesis. Chloroplasts also contain their own DNA and ribosomes, which indicates their complex functionality and the essential role they play in energy capture and metabolite synthesis in plants and algae.