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Multiple Choice
Which metabolic pathway generates a proton gradient during cellular respiration?
A
Glycolysis
B
Fermentation
C
Electron Transport Chain
D
Citric Acid Cycle
Verified step by step guidance
1
Begin by understanding the role of cellular respiration, which is to convert biochemical energy from nutrients into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and then release waste products.
Identify the main stages of cellular respiration: Glycolysis, Citric Acid Cycle (also known as Krebs Cycle), and Electron Transport Chain (ETC).
Recognize that the Electron Transport Chain is the final stage of cellular respiration, occurring in the inner mitochondrial membrane, where electrons are transferred through a series of complexes.
Understand that as electrons move through the Electron Transport Chain, protons (H⁺ ions) are pumped from the mitochondrial matrix to the intermembrane space, creating a proton gradient across the inner mitochondrial membrane.
This proton gradient is crucial for the process of chemiosmosis, where the flow of protons back into the mitochondrial matrix through ATP synthase drives the synthesis of ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate.