Plants use a process called photosynthesis to convert sunlight into food. During photosynthesis, plants take in carbon dioxide from the air and water from the soil. With the help of sunlight, the plant's chlorophyll (a pigment that gives plants their green color) captures the sun's energy and converts it into chemical energy. This energy is used to combine the carbon dioxide and water to produce glucose (a type of sugar), which serves as food for the plant. Oxygen is also produced as a byproduct of this process and released into the air. This entire process takes place in the chloroplasts, which are specialized structures within plant cells.