In a metabolic process called , plants, algae, and some types of bacteria convert solar energy into chemical energy, such as glucose.

The metabolic process you're referring to is called photosynthesis. Here's a step-by-step explanation:

1. The process begins when sunlight hits the plant's leaves. The sunlight is absorbed by a green pigment called chlorophyll, which is found in chloroplasts in the plant cells.

2. This energy is then used to split water molecules (absorbed through the roots and transported to the leaves) into hydrogen and oxygen. This process is known as photolysis.

3. The oxygen produced is released into the atmosphere. The hydrogen, however, is used in the next step of photosynthesis.

4. The hydrogen combines with carbon dioxide (absorbed from the atmosphere through small holes in the leaves called stomata) in a process known as carbon fixation.

5. The end result of this process is glucose, a type of sugar. The plant uses this glucose as a source of energy and a building block for growth.

6. Some of the glucose is used immediately, while the rest is stored in the form of starch for later use.

This process is not only crucial for the survival of the plant itself, but also for life on Earth as we know it, as it is the primary source of oxygen in the atmosphere.