Final answer:
The breakdown process in which glucose is decomposed using an electron transport chain ending with oxygen is known as oxidative phosphorylation, a key phase of aerobic respiration.
Step-by-step explanation:
When organic fuels like glucose are broken down using an electron transport chain that ends with oxygen, the breakdown process is known as oxidative phosphorylation. This process is a critical component of aerobic respiration, which includes glycolysis, transformation of pyruvate, the Krebs cycle, and ultimately, oxidative phosphorylation, where the most ATP is generated. During this stage, oxygen acts as the final electron acceptor and combines with electrons and protons to form water. This series of reactions occurs in the mitochondria of eukaryotes and in the plasma membrane of prokaryotes.
The electron transport chain comprises four protein complexes and mobile electron carriers that pass electrons through a series of redox reactions. As electrons are transferred, hydrogen ions are pumped across the membrane, contributing to a gradient used in chemiosmosis to produce ATP. If oxygen is not present, this process cannot occur, leading cells to resort to fermentation, which produces far less ATP and no water.