All around him plants were in a riot of photosynthesis, converting the energy of sunlight into sugars and proteins and fats that were going uneaten.

Autotrophs include photoautotrophs, which synthesize organic compounds using the energy of sunlight, and lithoautotrophs, which synthesize organic compounds using the energy of inorganic oxidation.

Most autotrophs, such as plants, use the energy of sunlight, combined with carbon dioxide and water, to produce simple sugarsa process known as photosynthesis.

Chloroplasts in plant cells perform photosynthesis; the capture and conversion of the energy of sunlight.

Most animals indirectly use the energy of sunlight by eating plants or plant-eating animals.