Final answer:
In aerobic respiration, when electrons leave the electron transport chain, they bind to oxygen and form water. This process generates ATP through chemiosmosis.
Step-by-step explanation:
In aerobic respiration, when the electrons leave the electron transport chain, they bind to the final electron acceptor, which is an oxygen molecule, to form water.
The electron transport chain is a series of redox reactions that occur in the inner mitochondrial membrane. NADH and FADH2 donate high-energy electrons to the chain, which are gradually passed along the chain, losing energy in the process.
This transfer of electrons creates a proton gradient across the membrane, which is then used in chemiosmosis to generate ATP.