What is the primary role of electron transport in cellular respiration?

The primary role of electron transport in cellular respiration is to generate a proton gradient for ATP synthesis. During the electron transport chain, electrons are transferred through a series of protein complexes located in the inner mitochondrial membrane. As these electrons move down the chain, they lose energy, which is used to pump protons (H+ ions) from the mitochondrial matrix into the intermembrane space.

This process creates a proton gradient, also known as a chemiosmotic gradient, where there is a higher concentration of protons inside the intermembrane space compared to the matrix. The accumulation of protons in the intermembrane space establishes potential energy that can be harnessed.

Ultimately, protons flow back into the mitochondrial matrix through ATP synthase, a protein that utilizes the energy released during this movement to synthesize ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate. Therefore, the generation of the proton gradient is crucial for the efficient production of ATP, which is the primary energy currency of the cell.

Other options, while related to cellular respiration, do not accurately capture the primary function of electron transport. For example, while glucose is converted to ATP in cellular respiration, this conversion occurs in several steps, not solely during electron transport. The production of carbon dioxide