Final answer:
The passing of electrons along a series of molecules, releasing energy bit-by-bit as they go, is called the electron transport chain (ETC). The ETC is a part of aerobic respiration and uses free oxygen as the final electron acceptor. It involves a series of redox reactions in which high-energy electrons are passed through protein complexes in the inner mitochondrial membrane, generating ATP.
Step-by-step explanation:
The passing of electrons along a series of molecules, releasing energy bit-by-bit as they go, is called the electron transport chain (ETC). The ETC is a part of aerobic respiration and uses free oxygen as the final electron acceptor. It involves a series of redox reactions in which high-energy electrons are passed through protein complexes in the inner mitochondrial membrane, gradually losing energy and generating ATP. The end products of the ETC are water and ATP.