In: Biology
During the transfer of two electrons from NADH to O2, protons pumped across the membrane to establish the electrochemical gradient. The amount of energy from previous problem consumed for maintaining membrane potential deltaY and gradient of protons across the membrane. Calculate the ratio of proton concentrations across the inner mitochondrial membrane, if the membrane potential was measured at 37 degrees C to be deltaY= 2.0 V.
This question can be solved by using the Nernst equation.
During the electron transport chain, proton(H+)gets transfered from the mitochondrial matrix to the intermembranal space creating a proton concentration gradient. A membrane potential is maintained across the membrane.