A. Hydrogen ions are pumped across the mitochondria’s inner membrane producing a concentration gradient.
Answering the question, when electrons are passed down (from protein complex to protein complex) the electron transport chain, hydrogen ions (protons) are pumped out across the mitochondria’s inner membrane producing a concentration gradient. Therefore, the correct answer is A.
The electron transport chain represents the third step in the process of aerobic cellular respiration. It is one of the steps involved in the cell processes of producing from the food that humans consume. Cellular respiration explains how individual body cells generate energy from the food they eat.
The electron transport chain is made up of four protein complexes that are present in the inner mitochondria that produce ATP for energy and the four protein complexes are in descending order of energy.
In the electron transport chain, electrons are moved along the chain and passed from one protein complex to another and continue until the electrons are donated to oxygen. When electron moved along the chain, protons are pulled out of the mitochondria matrix into the intermembrane space.
The building up of protons in the intermembrane space would then generate electromagnetic gradient, move the protons down the gradients and return into the mitochondria matrix through ATP synthase.
The energy generated during the movement of protons is therefore used by the ATP synthase to convert ADP to ATP.
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