Plants make their own food. They do this in the green parts of their leaves. Most plants need sunlight to make food, so they grow toward the sun. Plants also need air and water to make their sugary food.
Plants only make food in the daytime when there is light.
To make food in their green leaves plants need water, carbon dioxide, and sunlight. A chemical in leaves called chlorophyll absorbs the energy from sunlight. It uses this energy to turn the carbon dioxide and water into sugar. It is chlorophyll that makes leaves look green.
Sunflowers turn their heads to follow the sun as it crosses the sky.
Plants compete with each other for light. They angle their leaves and flowers to catch as much sunlight as possible. If there is not enough light, they grow tall and thin.
This picture shows how plants make food.
Plants need sunlight, water and carbon dioxide to make food. The way plants make their sugary food is called photosynthesis.