Question

What is the final electron acceptor for the electron transport chain in aerobic respiration?

Answer 1

Electron transport chain in aerobic respiration:

1. ETC, or electron transport chain, is a series of four cluster protein complex that creates an electrochemical gradient and transfers electrons through a membrane to form a proton gradient to create adenosine triphosphate ATP.
2. ATP is used as energy for cellular activities and metabolic function.
3. Aerobic respiration produces 30 ATP molecules in the ETC process.
4. The FADH₂ and NADH molecules produced in glycolysis and the Krebs Cycle supply high-energy electrons to the electron transport chain.
5. FAD and NAD⁺ are regenerated.
6. These low-energy molecules go back to the citric acid cycle and glycolysis and gain high energy.
7. The final electron acceptor is oxygen (O₂), it has a high electronegativity and accepts low-energy electrons.
8. Hydrogen is combined with oxygen, forming water as the final product.