The process of respiration in plants involves using the sugars produced during photosynthesis plus oxygen to produce energy for plant growth. Respiration takes place in the mitochondria of the cell in the presence of oxygen, which is called "aerobic respiration". Like all other organisms, plants require energy to grow and thrive in their environment. The process of cellular respiration allows plants to break down glucose into ATP. Although plants use photosynthesis to produce glucose, they use cellular respiration to release energy from the glucose. Aerobic respiration uses oxygen and produces carbon dioxide. Photosynthesis uses carbon dioxide and produces oxygen. Plants release oxygen during the day in the presence of natural light through the process of photosynthesis. While at night, the plants uptake oxygen and release carbon dioxide, which is called respiration.