What does the light-independent reaction of photosynthesis primarily fix?

In the light-independent reactions of photosynthesis, also known as the Calvin cycle, carbon dioxide is primarily fixed. This process occurs in the stroma of chloroplasts where ATP and NADPH, produced from the light-dependent reactions, are utilized to convert carbon dioxide into organic molecules. Specifically, carbon dioxide undergoes a series of reactions that ultimately lead to the synthesis of glucose, but the primary role of these reactions is to incorporate carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into an organic form that can be further utilized by the plant.

While oxygen is released as a byproduct of the light-dependent reactions, water serves as an electron donor during these reactions and is not directly involved in the fixation process of the light-independent reactions. Glucose is the end product of the overall process of photosynthesis but is not directly fixed in the light-independent reactions; it is synthesized from the products of these reactions instead.