What is the main purpose of light in the process of photosynthesis?

In photosynthesis, the primary role of light is to drive the chemical reactions that convert carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) into glucose, a sugar that plants use as food. During this process, light energy is absorbed by chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants located primarily in the chloroplasts. This energy then powers the conversion of carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen, a process that occurs during the light-dependent and light-independent reactions of photosynthesis.

The light-dependent reactions capture and convert solar energy into chemical energy stored in ATP and NADPH. These energy-rich compounds are then used in the light-independent reactions, also known as the Calvin cycle, to synthesize glucose. Therefore, the main purpose of light is directly linked to its role in enabling these crucial chemical transformations that sustain plant life and, by extension, life on Earth through the creation of organic compounds and oxygen.