Plants use light energy to rearrange the atoms of carbon dioxide and water into glucose (sugar) and oxygen. This process is called photosynthesis.

Here's a simplified breakdown:

* Carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air and water (H2O) from the soil are taken in by the plant.

* Light energy from the sun is captured by chlorophyll, a green pigment in the plant's leaves.

* The light energy is used to break apart the water molecules, releasing oxygen (O2) as a byproduct.

* The carbon atoms from the carbon dioxide are combined with the hydrogen atoms from the water to form glucose (C6H12O6).

This glucose is a form of energy that the plant can use to grow and carry out other life processes.