Which of the following is NOT a component required for photosynthesis?

Photosynthesis is a fundamental biological process carried out by plants, algae, and some bacteria that converts light energy into chemical energy in the form of glucose. The primary components required for this process include sunlight, chlorophyll, and water.

Sunlight provides the energy necessary for the photosynthetic reactions. Chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants, is crucial because it absorbs light, predominantly in the blue and red wavelengths, and captures that energy to drive the synthesis of glucose. Water acts as both a reactant in the overall photosynthetic equation and as a source of electrons, which are necessary for the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis.

While proteins are essential for many cellular functions and processes, including enzymatic reactions involved in metabolism and growth, they are not direct components required for photosynthesis itself. Therefore, they do not belong to the primary materials that directly participate in the photosynthetic process. This distinguishes them from the other components listed, which are directly involved in capturing energy and converting it into a usable form for the plant.