What process do green plants use to produce food using water and carbon dioxide?

Green plants utilize the process of photosynthesis to produce food, primarily in the form of glucose, by using water and carbon dioxide. During photosynthesis, plants absorb sunlight through their leaves, using it as energy to convert water (collected from the soil) and carbon dioxide (taken from the air) into glucose and oxygen. The chemical equation representing this process is:

6CO₂ + 6H₂O + light energy → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂

This shows that six molecules of carbon dioxide combine with six molecules of water in the presence of light energy to produce one molecule of glucose and six molecules of oxygen. The glucose generated serves as a vital source of energy for the plant's growth and development, while the oxygen is released into the atmosphere, benefiting other living organisms.

Transpiration refers to the process of water loss from plant leaves, respiration is the process by which organisms convert glucose into energy, and fermentation is a metabolic process that converts sugar to acids, gases, or alcohol in the absence of oxygen. None of these processes involve the direct production of food using water and carbon dioxide like photosynthesis does.