Final answer:
The electron transport chain is a series of protein complexes located at the inner membrane of mitochondria that pass electrons from NADH and FADH2 to O2 while converting the energy released into an H+ gradient.
Step-by-step explanation:
The series of protein complexes located at the inner membrane of mitochondria that pass electrons from NADH and FADH2 to O2 while converting the energy released into a H+ gradient is called the electron transport chain (ETC).
During this process, high-energy electrons released from NADH and FADH2 move along the ETC, which is comprised of four protein complexes and two mobile electron carriers. As the electrons flow through the complexes, they lose energy, which is used to pump hydrogen ions (H+) from the matrix into the intermembrane space.
The movement of these hydrogen ions creates an electrochemical gradient that drives the synthesis of ATP, which is the energy currency of the cell.