Final answer:
The substance that serves as food for the soybean plants during photosynthesis is glucose. Glucose is produced by the plant through the process of photosynthesis, where carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight are converted into this simple sugar along with oxygen as a byproduct.A. Glucose
Step-by-step explanation:
The food that serves as an energy source for the soybean plants once photosynthesis has begun is glucose. During photosynthesis, soybean plants, which are photosynthetic autotrophs, use sunlight, carbon dioxide (CO2), and water (H2O) to synthesize glucose. This simple sugar molecule serves as an immediate energy source and can also be stored in the form of carbohydrates such as starch for later use. The complete chemical reaction of photosynthesis can be summarized as: 6CO2 + 6H2O + sunlight energy → C6H12O6 (glucose) + 6O2 (oxygen). Oxygen is also produced during the process, but it is a waste product that is released back into the atmosphere.