Final answer:
Oxidative phosphorylation is the process that links ATP synthesis to the operation of the electron transport chain.
Step-by-step explanation:
The last phase of cellular respiration, known as oxidative phosphorylation, takes place in the inner mitochondrial membrane of eukaryotic cells. It entails the pumping of protons across the membrane in conjunction with the transfer of electrons via an electron transport chain made up of several protein complexes.
An electrochemical gradient is produced as protons are actively transported into the intermembrane gap by the energy released as electrons move down the chain. Adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and inorganic phosphate (Pi) are converted into ATP by the molecular machine ATP synthase, which uses the potential energy contained in this gradient.
Since it connects electron transport with ATP creation, oxidative phosphorylation is a crucial step in aerobic metabolism and is necessary for the synthesis of cellular energy.