Which organelle contains chlorophyll and carries out photosynthesis to make glucose?

• A. Chloroplast
• B. Mitochondria
• C. Vacuole
• D. Nucleus

Answer: (A)

Chloroplasts are the locations where photosynthesis happens. They contain chlorophyll, the green pigment that captures light energy from the sun. With that light energy, chloroplasts drive two sets of reactions: the light-dependent reactions in the thylakoid membranes produce ATP and NADPH, and the Calvin cycle in the stroma uses those molecules to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose. This is how plants store chemical energy as glucose.

Mitochondria, in contrast, break down glucose to release energy through cellular respiration. Vacuoles mainly store water and other substances, and the nucleus houses DNA and controls cellular activities. So the organelle that contains chlorophyll and carries out photosynthesis to make glucose is the chloroplast.