Question

You introduce cyanide to an actively respiring mitochondrion. Cyanide blocks the transfer of electrons from the last cytochrome in the ETC to Oxygen. Based on your understanding of cellular respiration would the following statements be true or false?

The pumping of Hydrogen ions from the matrix to the space between the mitochondrial membranes would decrease. You introduce cyanide to an actively respiring mitochondrion. Cyanide blocks the transfer of electrons from the last cytochrome in the ETC to Oxygen. Based on your understanding of cellular respiration would the following statements be true or false?
The pumping of Hydrogen ions from the matrix to the space between the mitochondrial membranes would decrease. True False

Answer 1

The answer is true, the pumping of hydrogen ions decreases and finally stopps.

Step-by-step explanation:

As the cyanide blocks the bindinge site for oxygen, which is normally reduced to water, the pumping of hydrogen from the matrix into the space between the mitochondrial membrane decreases and finally stopps. There is an accumulation of electrons and the components of the respiratory chain are completely reduced, therefore the respiratory chain stopps working.