Photosynthesis by land plants, bacteria, and algae converts carbon dioxide or bicarbonate into organic molecules. Organic molecules made by photosynthesizes are passed through food chains, and cellular respiration converts the organic carbon back into carbon dioxide gas. Carbon is in a constant state of movement from place to place. It is stored in what are known as reservoirs, and it moves between these reservoirs through a variety of processes, including photosynthesis, burning fossil fuels, and simply releasing breath from the lungs. When they're exposed to light, green plants use carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to manufacture living matter and release oxygen into the air. This process is called photosynthesis. Carbon dioxide is produced through the respiration of animals and plants, which consume oxygen and release carbon dioxide.