Fill in the blanks in this summary map to help you review the key concepts of cellular respiration.

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Identify the three stages of cellular respiration. These are glycolysis (a), the citric acid cycle (b), and oxidative phosphorylation (c). Glycolysis occurs in the cytoplasm, while the citric acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation occur in the mitochondria.
2. Step 2: Recognize that glucose and organic fuels (C₆H₁₂O₆) are oxidized during cellular respiration. This process involves the transfer of electrons to electron carriers such as NAD⁺ and FAD, which are reduced to NADH and FADH₂ (d).
3. Step 3: Understand that NADH and FADH₂ donate electrons to the electron transport chain (e), which is embedded in the inner mitochondrial membrane. The movement of electrons down the chain creates a proton (H⁺) gradient across the membrane.
4. Step 4: Note that the proton gradient drives the process of chemiosmosis, where H⁺ ions diffuse through ATP synthase to generate ATP. This is the primary mechanism for ATP production during oxidative phosphorylation.
5. Step 5: Recognize the role of oxygen (f) as the final electron acceptor in the electron transport chain, forming water (g) as a byproduct. This ensures the continuation of the electron flow and the generation of ATP.