The reaction that requires direct energy of sunlight to make carrier molecules is photosynthesis.

Here's why:

* Photosynthesis is the process by which plants, algae, and some bacteria convert light energy from the sun into chemical energy in the form of glucose (a sugar).

* This process occurs in two main stages:

* Light-dependent reactions: These reactions directly use sunlight to energize electrons and create ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and NADPH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate), which are the carrier molecules.

* Light-independent reactions (Calvin cycle): These reactions use the energy stored in ATP and NADPH to convert carbon dioxide into glucose.

Therefore, sunlight is essential for the production of carrier molecules (ATP and NADPH) in photosynthesis.