(mÄth'Än') A colorless, odorless, flammable gas that is the simplest hydrocarbon. It is the major constituent of natural gas and is released during the decomposition of plant or other organic compounds, as in marshes and coal mines. Methane is the first member of the alkane series.
Photosynthesis is the process by which organisms that contain the pigment chlorophyll convert light energy into chemical energy which can be stored in the molecular bonds of organic molecules (e.g., sugars). Photosynthesis powers almost all trophic chains and food webs on the Earth.
Teacher Edition. Photosynthesis is a complex process that converts light energy into chemical energy in the form of carbohydrates and/or other compounds in plants and other photosynthetic organisms. Photosynthesis occurs in two stages: light dependent and light independentreactions (Calvin Cycle).