Photosynthesis is a process used by plants, algae, and some bacteria to convert light energy into chemical energy. Sunlight provides the energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose (a sugar for energy storage) and oxygen as a byproduct. The overall simplified chemical equation is [latex]6CO_2 + 6H_2O + \text{Light Energy} \rightarrow C_6H_{12}O_6 + 6O_2[/latex].
