How many electrons must move down the electron transport chain before energy is made
In the electron transport chain, also known as the respiratory chain, the passage of electrons generates energy in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate). Each electron that moves down the electron transport chain leads to the pumping of protons across the inner mitochondrial membrane, resulting in the creation of an electrochemical gradient. This gradient is then used by ATP synthase to produce ATP.
To produce one molecule of ATP, approximately 3 protons need to move down the electrochemical gradient generated by the electron transport chain. Each electron that traverses the electron transport chain pumps around 10 protons from the mitochondrial matrix to the intermembrane space. Therefore, roughly 3 electrons need to pass down the electron transport chain to generate enough energy for the production of one ATP molecule.