What is the leaf-like structure inside a seed that provides energy to the embryo called?

The leaf-like structure inside a seed that provides energy to the embryo is known as a cotyledon. Cotyledons are the first leaves that appear from a germinating seed and play a crucial role in providing the necessary nutrients to the developing plant before it is able to perform photosynthesis on its own. They are essential for the seedling's initial growth, serving as a source of stored food that supports the emerging plant until it can generate its own energy through photosynthesis.

Chlorophyll, on the other hand, is a green pigment primarily involved in capturing light energy for photosynthesis and is not directly related to the energy supply for the embryo during seed germination. The embryo is the young plant itself contained within the seed, but it is the cotyledon that provides the energy. Endosperm also serves as a food reserve in many seeds but is typically a separate tissue from the cotyledon. Thus, when considering the component directly acting as the energy source for the embryo within the seed, cotyledons are the primary focus.