Chapter 10 Photosynthesis Overview: The Process That Feeds the Biosphere Photosynthesis is the process that converts solar energy into chemical energy Directly or indirectly, photosynthesis nourishes almost the entire living world Copyright ? 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Autotrophs sustain themselves without eating anything derived from other organisms Autotrophs are the producers of the biosphere, producing organic molecules from CO2 and other inorganic molecules Almost all plants are photoautotrophs, using the energy of sunlight to make organic molecules from H2O and CO2 Copyright ? 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Fig. 10-1