Final answer:
Carbon dioxide is converted into glucose by plants and other producers through photosynthesis, allowing it to enter the food web. Producers then absorb and use the glucose as energy, which is passed on to other organisms through consumption and digestion.
Step-by-step explanation:
Carbon, one of the most common elements associated with organic molecules, is plentiful in the atmosphere but not accessible to plants and animals. However, plants and other producers capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through the process of photosynthesis and convert it into glucose, which serves as their food. The glucose produced by the producers is then consumed by herbivores, which in turn are consumed by carnivores. This allows the carbon to make its way into the food web.
Specifically, the process of photosynthesis carried out by plants and other producers is responsible for converting carbon dioxide into glucose, which producers can absorb and use for energy. This energy is then transferred to other organisms through the consumption and digestion of these producers.