Chloroplasts have two main functions: they perform photosynthesis to make food (glucose) and they release oxygen as a by‑product while producing energy‑rich molecules like ATP and NADPH.

Quick Scoop

  • Photosynthesis (food production)
    Chloroplasts capture light energy using chlorophyll and convert it into chemical energy stored in glucose during photosynthesis.

In this process, they fix carbon dioxide into carbohydrates in the stroma, providing the plant with its primary source of food and energy.

  • Oxygen and energy molecule production
    During the light reactions in the thylakoid membranes, chloroplasts split water to release oxygen gas, which then diffuses out of the plant.

These reactions also generate ATP and NADPH, high‑energy compounds that power the later steps of photosynthesis and many other metabolic reactions in the chloroplast.

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