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Multiple Choice
Chemiosmosis occurs during which stage of cellular respiration?
A
Fermentation
B
Citric Acid Cycle
C
Electron Transport Chain
D
Glycolysis
Verified step by step guidance
1
Begin by understanding the concept of chemiosmosis. Chemiosmosis is the movement of ions across a selectively permeable membrane, down their electrochemical gradient. In cellular respiration, it specifically refers to the movement of hydrogen ions (protons) across the mitochondrial membrane.
Identify the stages of cellular respiration: Glycolysis, Citric Acid Cycle (also known as Krebs Cycle), Electron Transport Chain, and Fermentation. Each stage has distinct processes and locations within the cell.
Recall that the Electron Transport Chain is the final stage of cellular respiration, occurring in the inner mitochondrial membrane. It is where the majority of ATP is produced through oxidative phosphorylation.
Understand that during the Electron Transport Chain, electrons are transferred through a series of protein complexes. This transfer of electrons leads to the pumping of protons from the mitochondrial matrix to the intermembrane space, creating a proton gradient.
Recognize that chemiosmosis occurs when protons flow back into the mitochondrial matrix through ATP synthase, driven by the proton gradient. This flow of protons facilitates the synthesis of ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate, completing the process of oxidative phosphorylation.