Question

Explain chemiosmosis.

Answer 1

CHEMIOSMOSIS

1. The movement of ions across a selectively permeable membrane, down their electrochemical gradient is called chemiosmosis.
2. H+ ions move across a membrane during cellular respiration in mitochondria and during photosynthesis in chloroplast, which leads to ATP generation.
3. When H+ ions (protons) diffuse from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration, an electrochemical gradient of protons is developed.
4. This electronic gradient of protons across the membrane could be harnessed to make ATP.
5. ATP synthase is the enzyme that makes ATP by chemiosmosis.