An Overview Sun Organic compounds are the structural materials and energy stores of life.
Plants use environmental sources of energy and raw materials for their construction of glucose.
In general, plants are autotrophs , or self-nourishing organism. Plants use carbon dioxide, present in the air and dissolved in aquatic habitats, as their carbon source. Plant, some bacteria, and protistans are photoautotrophs. Photoautotrophs produce organic compounds by a metabolic process referred to as photosynthesis . Photosynthesis is the main route by which carbon and energy enter the web of life.