What essential ingredients are required for photosynthesis in plants?

The fundamental process of photosynthesis in plants requires specific ingredients to convert light energy into chemical energy in the form of glucose. The correct combination for this process includes water, carbon dioxide, chlorophyll, and light.

Water serves as the primary source of electrons and protons in photosynthesis, facilitating the conversion of light energy into chemical energy. Carbon dioxide, absorbed from the atmosphere, provides the carbon atoms necessary to form glucose. Chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants, is vital for capturing light energy, which drives the photosynthetic reactions. Light, typically from the sun, is essential as it energizes the chlorophyll molecules, allowing them to convert the absorbed energy into chemical forms during the synthesis of glucose.

The other options suggest components that, while important for plant health and growth, do not play a direct role in the photosynthesis process itself. For instance, oxygen is a byproduct of photosynthesis rather than a reactant, nitrogen is vital for protein synthesis but not directly involved in photosynthesis, and minerals are necessary for overall plant health but do not directly contribute to the photosynthetic reaction.