Final answer:
The electron transport chain in bacterial cells is found in the plasma membrane, fulfilling a role similar to that of the mitochondrial inner membrane in eukaryotic cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
The electron transport chain in bacterial cells is located in the plasma membrane. Unlike eukaryotic cells, which have mitochondria with an outer and inner membrane where the electron transport chain is located, bacteria do not have mitochondria. In bacterial cells, which are prokaryotes, the plasma membrane performs many functions, including hosting the electron transport chain. The proteins and complexes involved in the electron transport chain are embedded directly within the plasma membrane, where they function to generate a proton gradient used to produce ATP through chemiosmosis, similarly to the process occurring in the mitochondrial inner membrane of eukaryotic cells.