Algae, plants and some bacteria such as cyanobacteria uses light energy from the sun, carbon dioxide and water to make organic molecules (sugars) to produce energy for growth. The by-product of this process in plants is oxygen and water vapour, released using the stomata (tiny openings in leaves).
Photosynthesis is the process that takes place in plants, algae and in some microbes, in which they take advantage of the light coming from the sun to convert it into chemical energy useful for the basic functions of the plant, such as nutrition, development and growth.