Final answer:
The role of carbon dioxide in photosynthesis is to combine with water to produce glucose, the primary source of energy for plants, with oxygen being a byproduct released into the atmosphere.
Step-by-step explanation:
The role of carbon dioxide is to provide the matter for glucose, which is the main output of photosynthesis.
Photosynthesis is a crucial biological process wherein plants, algae, and certain bacteria convert light energy, usually from the sun, into chemical energy stored in glucose. Carbon dioxide and water are vital reactants in this process, working in the presence of sunlight and chlorophyll within the thylakoid membranes of chloroplasts. The equation representing photosynthesis is: 6 CO2 + 6 H2O → C6H12O6 + 6 O2. Here, six molecules of carbon dioxide and six molecules of water produce one molecule of glucose and six molecules of oxygen.
The glucose produced serves as the primary food source for plants, storing the energy in a form that can be used for cellular functions and growth. Meanwhile, the oxygen released is a byproduct that has vital importance for the respiration of most living organisms on Earth. It's interesting to note that the carbon which becomes part of the glucose molecule during photosynthesis was once part of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, illustrating the carbon cycle's significance in sustaining life.