discuss the role of the electron transport system in the manufacture of ATP?

The ET process uses the energy-storing molecules from earlier steps in cellular respiration to create a proton gradient. The protons then flow through ATPsynthase to create ATP from ADP. 3 protons create 1 ATP molecule.
 
Once an electron is excited by either photosystem II or photosystem I, they will move on to the electron transport chain and be passed in to lower and lower energy levels by stronger and stronger electron carrier molecules/acceptors. As the electrons do this, energy will be released to actively transport hydrogen ions into the lumen of the thylakoid disc. As H+ ions increase in electrochemical gradient within the lumen, theyll want to leave because of diffusion but the membrane isnt permeable to H+ ions. So now, the only way they can leave is through proton pores - integral proteins with ATP synthase in which hydrogen ions are free to exit the lumen out of. As H+ ions leave, they trigger ATP synthase whos function is to use energy gained to combime ADP + P together, constructing ATP :)
 
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