The process for Electron Transport and ATP Synthesis are:
  1. Electron Transport: High-energy electrons from NADH and FADH2 are passed from carrier to carrier, down the electron transport chain. Water is formed when oxygen accepts the electrons in combination with hydrogen ions. Energy generated by the electron transport chain is used to move H+ ions across the inner mitochondrial membrane and into the intermembrane space.
  2. ATP Production: H+ ions pass back across the mitochondrial membrane through ATP synthase causing the base of the synthase molecule to rotate. With each rotation, driven by the movement of an H+ ion, ATP synthase generates ATP from ADP.
The following are marked on the diagram: