Here's how it works:
* Photosynthesis: Plants, algae, and some bacteria use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose (a type of sugar) and oxygen. This process is called photosynthesis. Glucose is a source of chemical energy that the plant can use for growth and other functions.
* Food Chain: When animals eat plants, they obtain the energy stored in the glucose. This energy is then passed on to other animals that eat those animals. Even organisms that don't directly eat plants, like fungi and bacteria, obtain energy from the decaying matter of plants and animals, ultimately tracing back to the energy captured by plants from the sun.
Essentially, the sun is the ultimate source of energy for almost all life on Earth.
