What process do plants use to remove carbon dioxide from the environment?

Plants use photosynthesis to remove carbon dioxide from the environment. This process occurs primarily in the leaves, where chlorophyll captures light energy from the sun. During photosynthesis, plants take in carbon dioxide from the air through tiny openings called stomata. They also absorb water through their roots. Using the energy from sunlight, plants convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose (a type of sugar), which serves as energy and building material for the plant, and oxygen, which is released as a byproduct back into the atmosphere. This process is essential not only for the survival of plants but also for maintaining the balance of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, making it a critical component of the global carbon cycle.

The other options do not involve the direct removal of carbon dioxide from the environment in the way that photosynthesis does. Respiration is a process in which plants and animals convert glucose and oxygen into energy, producing carbon dioxide as a byproduct. Decomposition involves the breakdown of organic matter by microbes, releasing carbon back into the atmosphere. Nitrification is a soil process where ammonia is converted into nitrates, unrelated to carbon dioxide removal.