Final answer:
Electrons released during the citric acid cycle are picked up by electron carriers and delivered to the electron transport chain where their energy is used to pump hydrogen ions and produce ATP.
Step-by-step explanation:
The electrons released during the citric acid cycle in cellular respiration are picked up by electron carriers and delivered to the electron transport chain. The electron transport chain is a series of molecules embedded in the inner membrane of the mitochondrion.
As the electrons flow through these molecules, some of their energy is used to pump hydrogen ions (H+) from the matrix into the intermembrane space, creating an electrochemical gradient. This gradient is then used to drive the synthesis of ATP through ATP synthase.