Making Use of Energy
Light from any source is a form of energy, and many or most of the living things we call plants rely on light to provide the energy they need to do the necessary work of life. This general process goes by the name "photosynthesis," which means "the making by light." The energy carried by light is used to make possible reactions that make sugar, which is then used to make other materials in the plant.
Adjusting to the Light
Given the importance of light to photosynthetic plants, many of them change their patterns of growth to absorb more light. Because it takes only a little leverage. as produced by lopsided growth at a point, to bend the stem of a plant, you may be able to see a house plant "follow" the sun from window to window over the course of a day, even though the plant grew only a minuscule amount.
Many non-tropical plants also detect the season of the year by the duration of the light, and so keep their schedule for life processes that follow the calendar, especially flowering.
Turning On the Heat
All objects to some degree soak up those rays and convert some of their energy to heat, and plants are no exception. Strong light will therefore raise the temperature of the plant that absorbs it. This may be good or bad for the plant under the circumstances. Plants also have a powerful cooling mechanism, given enough water to draw from their roots and evaporate from their leaves.
Direct Sunlight vs. Other Light Sources
As plants go, not all light is the same. Colors of light are not equally effective in photosynthesis, and not all plants do best with the same colors of light. The strength of the light also makes a difference. More is not always better; just as one may kill or sicken many plants with too much water or fertilizer, too strong a light can do the same. The degree of tolerance of a plant for either direct sunlight or shade differs with the type of plant.
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