Which of the following processes involves the conversion of light energy into chemical energy?

The process that involves the conversion of light energy into chemical energy is photosynthesis. During photosynthesis, plants, algae, and some bacteria capture light energy, primarily from the sun, using chlorophyll and other pigments. This light energy is then used to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose (a form of chemical energy) and oxygen as a byproduct. The overall equation for photosynthesis summarizes this transformation: carbon dioxide plus water, in the presence of light energy, yields glucose and oxygen.

In contrast, cellular respiration is a process that breaks down glucose to produce ATP, a form of usable energy, releasing carbon dioxide and water in the process. Fermentation is an anaerobic process that converts glucose to energy in the absence of oxygen, resulting in products like ethanol or lactic acid, depending on the organism. Glycolysis is the initial process in the breakdown of glucose, where it is converted to pyruvate, but it does not involve the conversion of light energy into chemical energy, as it occurs in the absence of light and does not utilize photons in its reaction pathway.