Electron Transport Chain Diagram Generator

An electron transport chain diagram shows electrons moving through four membrane complexes to oxygen. It marks where NADH and FADH2 donate electrons, where protons are pumped into the intermembrane space, and how the resulting gradient turns ATP synthase. A labeled electron transport chain diagram also names each carrier, including ubiquinone and cytochrome c.

The chain has Complex I, II, III, and IV in the inner membrane. Complex I accepts electrons from NADH and Complex II from FADH2; ubiquinone shuttles them to Complex III, cytochrome c carries them to Complex IV, and Complex IV reduces oxygen to water. An electron transfer system diagram places these four complexes in order along the membrane.

It produces roughly 26 to 28 ATP per glucose molecule. The chain itself makes no ATP directly — it builds a proton gradient, and ATP synthase uses that gradient to phosphorylate ADP. This coupling is why an oxidative phosphorylation diagram draws the chain and ATP synthase together rather than as separate steps.

Describe the complexes and carriers you want labeled and SciFig draws the figure. SciFig's electron transport chain diagram generator can name every component — the four complexes, ubiquinone, cytochrome c, ATP synthase, and the proton flow — or leave the labels blank so students can fill them in.

It takes place in the inner mitochondrial membrane, including the cristae folds. Prokaryotes run an equivalent chain in the plasma membrane instead. An electron transfer system diagram usually shows the membrane in cross-section so the matrix and intermembrane space are both visible.

The chain is one half of oxidative phosphorylation. Oxidative phosphorylation covers both the electron transfer through the complexes and the ATP synthesis driven by the resulting gradient, so an oxidative phosphorylation diagram includes ATP synthase while a diagram of the chain alone may stop at Complex IV.