Aerobic respiration in krebs cycle

Question

Until the Krebs cycle, aerobic respiration can be explained devoid of mentioning oxygen, the chemical element subsequent to which the reaction gets its name. Where in the procedure does this chemical element take part? What is its significance?

Answer 1

Oxygen enters the aerobic respiration in its final stage, the respiratory chain. It is of basic significance since it is responsible for the maintenance of hydrogen concentration gradient among the spaces separated by the internal mitochondrial membrane. This gradient encourages the functioning of ATP synthetase and therefore the phosphorylation of ADP to form ATP. In the space within the inner membrane oxygen joins to free hydrogen to form water and this hydrogen consumption keeps the hydrogen gradient and the proton traffic via the ATP synthetase.

The whole aerobic respiration procedure has the intent to make the ATP synthetase work. Aerobic beings, for illustration, we humans, require breathing oxygen to maintain that hydrogen concentration gradient and stay the ATP synthetase working.