Why Is the Hydrogen Ion Gradient of the Electron Transfer

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The Answer is As the electrons move through the chains, they give up energy little by little. Some molecules of the transfer chains harness that energy to actively transport the hydrogen ions across the inner membrane, from the matrix to the intermembrane space. The accumulating ions form a hydrogen ion gradient across the inner mitochondrial membrane. This gradient attracts the ions back toward the matrix. However, ions cannot diffuse through a lipid bilayer on their own. Hydrogen ions cross the inner mitochondrial membrane only by flowing through ATP synthases embedded in the membrane. The flow of hydrogen ions through ATP synthases causes these proteins to attach phosphate groups to ADP, so ATP forms.

Why Is the Hydrogen Ion Gradient of the Electron Transfer

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