* Carbon dioxide (CO2): This is the source of carbon atoms, which are used to build sugars. Plants obtain carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

* Water (H2O): Water provides the hydrogen atoms needed for sugar synthesis. Plants absorb water from the soil through their roots.

* Sunlight: Sunlight provides the energy needed to power the chemical reactions of photosynthesis. This energy is captured by chlorophyll, a green pigment found in plant cells.

These raw materials are converted into glucose (a type of sugar) and oxygen (O2) during photosynthesis. The chemical equation for photosynthesis is:

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