The final step of aerobic respiration is oxidative phosphorylation, which consist of two sub phases, electron transport chain and chemiosmosis. which step requires oxygen? What is the role of oxygen in this step? which of these two steps creates ATP?
The step of aerobic respiration that requires oxygen is the electron transport chain. Oxygen plays a crucial role in this step as the final electron acceptor. It accepts the electrons passed down the electron transport chain and combines with hydrogen ions to form water. This process is essential for the production of ATP.
The electron transport chain creates ATP through a process called chemiosmosis. As the electrons are passed along the chain, hydrogen ions are pumped across the inner mitochondrial membrane, creating an electrochemical gradient. The energy stored in this gradient is then used by the ATP synthase enzyme to produce ATP through the process of oxidative phosphorylation.
The step of aerobic respiration that requires oxygen is the electron transport chain (ETC). Oxygen plays a crucial role in this step by acting as the final electron acceptor in the ETC. It accepts electrons at the end of the electron transport chain, allowing for the continuation of the process and the production of ATP.
ATP is primarily produced during the process of chemiosmosis, which is a subphase within oxidative phosphorylation. As the electrons pass through the electron transport chain, the energy released is used to pump protons (H+) across the inner mitochondrial membrane and create a proton gradient. This gradient is then utilized by ATP synthase to produce ATP through a process called chemiosmosis. Thus, chemiosmosis is responsible for generating ATP during the final step of aerobic respiration.
The step of aerobic respiration that requires oxygen is the electron transport chain. Oxygen plays a crucial role as the final electron acceptor in this process. During the electron transport chain, electrons from molecules produced earlier in the respiration process are passed through a series of protein complexes within the inner mitochondrial membrane. As electrons move from one complex to another, energy is released and used to pump protons, or hydrogen ions (H+), across the inner membrane.
During this process, a high concentration of protons is built up in the intermembrane space, while the electrons move through the protein complexes. The accumulated protons then flow back to the inner mitochondrial matrix through an enzyme called ATP synthase. This flow of protons powers the synthesis of ATP, the energy currency of cells. Oxygen's role is pivotal here, as it serves as the final electron acceptor, combining with electrons and protons to form water (H2O). This helps to maintain the electron transport chain process by removing the electrons and protons and allowing their continuous flow.
So, to summarize, the electron transport chain requires oxygen as the final electron acceptor to maintain the flow of electrons, protons, and the synthesis of ATP. Chemiosmosis, on the other hand, is the process by which ATP is actually created using the proton gradient established in the electron transport chain.