The statement 'the pH of the matrix will increase, allowing the production of more ATP per gram of substrate' best predicts the effect of disrupting the proton gradient in BAT. It is a step of cellular respiration.
Cellular respiration refers to the chemical reactions where aerobic cells can produce ATP by using the energy from foods and oxygen.
Cellular respiration has three stages: glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation.
During oxidative phosphorylation, the movement of electrons is coupled to a proton gradient across the inner mitochondrial membrane to generate ATP.
Learn more about oxidative phosphorylation here:
https://brainly.com/question/8562250