Electron Transport Chain!! question!!!?

Question

Explain why electrons can pass spontaneously along the Electron transport chain!!

Many Thanks :)

Answer 1

It is like water going down hill through a series of pools. The electron gives up some of its energy each step it moves down the chain.

Answer 2

electrons are "carried" by the carriers in ETC.

1. simultaneous oxidation- reduction reactions take place,

2. along with it, the reduction potential varies in its different parts..

Hence, we can say that

Ubiquinine, cytochromes, varying reduction potentials, different carriers "collectively" cause the spontaneous passage of the electrons..

Answer 3

The molecules in the ETC are reduced (gain electrons) as the electrons move down the chain. The reason each succesive reaction is spontaneous is b/c the reduction potentials (the ease of which the molecule is reduced) of the next molecule is higher. So the next molecule in the ETC will be more easily reduced than the one before it and so on all the way down the chain. It is simply the oxidation/reduction reactions that carry the electrons down the chain.

SO, to sum it up - b/c the successive molecules of the ETC have increasing reduction potentials.