Through photosynthesis, plants use sunlight to make sugar from carbon dioxide and water. The solar energy that plants use to make leaves, roots, and fruit sustains all life. Photosynthesis is the foundation of food webs that link nearly all living things on Earth. The sun's energy is moved along these webs as herbivores, such as caterpillars and deer, eat plants, then carnivores, such as spiders and wolves, eat the herbivores. Without photosynthesis, all food webs would rapidly unravel, leaving you nowhere to turn for ice cream, carrots, or hamburgers.

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