How do mitochondria generate and store the energy used to produce most of the ATP made during aerobic respiration?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Mitochondria generate and store energy in the form of an ionic (electrochemical) gradient, specifically a proton gradient, across their inner membrane. This gradient is created by the electron transport chain, which pumps protons from the mitochondrial matrix to the intermembrane space. The energy stored in this gradient is then used by ATP synthase to generate ATP. Heat is also generated during cellular respiration but is not used to directly generate ATP. Choices D and E are not valid options.

How Do Mitochondria Generate and Store the Energy Used to Produce