Electron Odyssey: Journey through the Mitochondria’s Electron Transport Chain

By Katherine Pagnucco, John Abbott College

At a Glance

Discipline

  • STEM
  • Biology

Instructional Level

  • College & CEGEP

Course

  • General Biology II (101-DCN-05) - Metabolism

Tasks in Workflow

Social Plane(s)

  • Group
  • Whole Class

Type of Tasks

  • Gaming & role-playing
  • Solving problems
  • Discussing

Technical Details

Class size

  • Very small (< 20)
  • Small (20-49)
  • Medium (50-99)

Time

  • Brief segment of class period (< 20 mins)

Inclusivity & Accessibility

  • Variety of action & expression

Instructional Purpose

  • Application & knowledge building
  • Exploration & inquiry
  • Problem sets & questions

Overview

The goal of this activity is to deepen students’ understanding of the electron transport chain (ETC) in aerobic respiration, emphasizing the creation of a proton gradient and its role in adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis. Through active participation, students will visualize and experience the flow of electrons, the energy transfer involved, and how a proton gradient drives ATP production.

This hands-on approach clarifies complex concepts, empowering students with a foundational understanding they can carry beyond this course. Students will assume the roles of various components within the ETC. By simulating electron flow through protein complexes, they’ll observe proton pumping across the membrane and calculate ATP production relative to proton movement. After the initial demonstration, students will explore the impact of inhibiting specific steps in the chain.

This activity leverages Game-Based Instruction and Gamification, Problem-Based Learning, and Distributed Problem Solving, encouraging students to learn through active engagement and collaborative problem-solving. Designed to take 15–30 minutes, this activity can be performed as a class demonstration or in small groups, allowing flexibility in how it integrates into the lesson.

Citation to Others for Activity Materials: The image of the ATP synthase came from BioRender (all other images were created by the author using PowerPoint). Information on inhibitors and uncouplers came from Ahmad M, Wolberg A, Kahwaji CI. Biochemistry, Electron Transport Chain. [Updated 2023 Sep 4]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526105/

Instructional Objectives

Students will be able to identify the role of different components of the ETC and apply their understanding to situations when the ETC is no longer functioning properly.

Workflow & Materials

Workflow

Activity Workflow

View on CourseFlow
Document

Character Cards

Katherine Pagnucco, John Abbott College

Document

Detailed Instructions for Instructors

Katherine Pagnucco, John Abbott College

Contributor's Notes

Benefits
Challenges
Tips
Benefits
  • By acting the part of different components of the ETC, students will gain a deeper understanding of how this process works, and how inhibitors and uncouplers can affect its normal functioning.
Challenges
  • Some students may have a hard time with some of the phyicality of the process, especially if it is student-led and may be slower (e.g., holding the protons above their heads, having to hold multiple cards at different points).
  • It might be helpful to have the teacher go through the process at least once before challenging the students to do it themselves.
Tips
  • To ensure our students are really thinking deeply about this process, teachers are encouraged to let the student groups sit with the probing questions and optional challenges to go through the process in the presence of inhibitors and uncouplers.

Applied Strategies

Game-Based Instruction & Gamification

Engagement and motivation

Problem-Based Learning

Teamwork and collaboration

Distributed Problem Solving

Artifact evaluation and completion