Chloroplast

photosynthesis · plant cells · energy

Sunlight to sugar. Chloroplasts capture energy from sunlight and use it to transform carbon dioxide and water into sugar that plants eat. This is like having a tiny factory inside a plant cell that runs on pure sunlight.

Green color comes from chlorophyll. Chloroplasts get their green color from a pigment called chlorophyll that acts like a catcher's mitt for sunlight. The more chlorophyll a plant has, the better it can catch light energy and convert it to chemical energy.

Oxygen is a byproduct. When chloroplasts break down water as part of making sugar, they release oxygen as a waste product. Every time a plant makes its own food, it releases oxygen that animals, including you, need to breathe.

More than just food makers. Chloroplasts do way more than just make sugar. They also help plants create fatty acids and amino acids, which are building blocks for growth, and they even help plants fight off diseases.

Varies by plant type. Different plants have different numbers of chloroplasts in each cell. Some tiny algae have just one, while wheat plants can pack up to 100 chloroplasts into a single cell.