Final answer:
Chemiosmosis, a part of the electron transport chain, produces the majority of ATP during aerobic respiration, specifically contributing to 90% of the total ATP yield from glucose catabolism.
Step-by-step explanation:
The stage of aerobic respiration that produces the majority of the ATP is chemiosmosis, which is part of the electron transport chain.
During aerobic respiration, glucose is broken down and the energy released is used to form ATP. The process begins with glycolysis, producing pyruvate and a small amount of ATP. The pyruvate is then converted to acetyl-CoA, which enters the citric acid cycle (also known as the Krebs cycle), generating electron carriers in the form of NADH and FADH2. These carriers donate electrons to the electron transport chain, where a series of redox reactions occur. The energy from these reactions is used to pump protons across the mitochondrial membrane, creating a proton gradient.
The final step, known as oxidative phosphorylation, involves the flow of protons back into the mitochondrial matrix through ATP synthase, which harnesses this energy to synthesize ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate. This process of ATP generation via a proton gradient is referred to as chemiosmosis and is responsible for producing 90 percent of the ATP during the catabolism of glucose, making it the main source of ATP in aerobic respiration.