Providing the energy to synthesise ATP in the mitochondria

ATP synthesis (from ADP and inorganic phosphate) is a thermodynamically unfavorable reaction under physiological conditions.

In mitochondria, the proton gradient that provides the energy to drive this reaction in the synthetic direction when the ATP synthase complex makes ATP occurs:

Trapping energy during electron transport

When the electron transport chain oxidises a reduced cofactor, such as NADH, and reduces oxygen to water, there is a substantial release of free energy.

How is that energy initially trapped and stored in mitochondria?

Energy Transformation

The major purpose of the electron transport chain is to provide the energy for the synthesis of ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate (Pi).

The energy is provided by:

BASIC CONCEPTS: Amount

Question 2: If a tennis ball has a mass of 100 g and a basketball has a mass of 500 g, which of the following containers has the most, by mass?

A	B	C

BASIC CONCEPTS: Amount

Question 1: Which of the following boxes has the greatest number of balls?

A	B	C

During intense exercise we feel a muscle ache? What causes this? 

How many ATP (or GTP) molecules are produced in the TCA cycle?

Where in the cell does the TCA cycle occur?

What are advantages of multi-enzyme complexes such as the pyruvate dehydrogenase? 

The intermediates of the TCA cycle act as precursors for biosynthesis. The depletion of these intermediates will reduce the function of the TCA cycle. How does the cell prevent this from happening?