The process whereby plants consume carbon dioxide, water, and the sun's energy to make food is known as?

Photosynthesis is the process whereby plants, algae, and some bacteria convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose (a type of sugar) using the energy from sunlight. This vital process occurs mainly in the chloroplasts of plant cells, where chlorophyll captures light energy. During photosynthesis, light energy drives the conversion of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and water from the soil into glucose and oxygen. The overall chemical equation for photosynthesis demonstrates this transformation, showing how energy from sunlight is harnessed to produce organic compounds that are fundamental for the growth and metabolic processes of plants.

While the other concepts mentioned in the options relate to biological processes, they do not accurately describe the specific mechanism of how plants produce their food using sunlight. Hydrolysis refers to the chemical breakdown of a compound due to the reaction with water, respiration involves the metabolic processes by which organisms convert glucose and oxygen into energy, and hydrostasis is not a widely recognized biological term. Therefore, photosynthesis is the precise term that encompasses the entire process of converting sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water into food, emphasizing its importance in the energy transfer within ecosystems.