Living Environment Regents Practice Test – Exam Prep & Study Guide

Chloroplasts are specialized organelles found in plant cells that are crucial for the process of photosynthesis. Their primary function is to transform light energy, usually from the sun, into chemical energy stored in glucose. Chloroplasts contain chlorophyll, the green pigment that captures light, and they facilitate the conversion of carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen, using light energy.

This process is essential for plant survival and contributes to the energy supply of organisms that rely on plants for food. The other choices describe different cellular structures and functions: the process of protein synthesis is primarily handled by ribosomes and the endoplasmic reticulum, energy storage is related to organelles like vacuoles and starch granules, and the nucleus is the control center of the cell containing genetic material. In contrast, chloroplasts are uniquely dedicated to photosynthesis, making option A the most accurate definition.