What happens in the electron transport system during aerobic respiration?

In the electron transport system, which is a crucial stage of aerobic respiration, hydrogen atoms (specifically from NADH and FADH2) are split into protons and electrons. The electrons are transferred through a series of protein complexes located in the inner mitochondrial membrane. As these electrons move through the electron transport chain, their energy is utilized to pump protons from the mitochondrial matrix into the intermembrane space, creating a proton gradient.

This gradient is then used in conjunction with the enzyme ATP synthase to produce ATP, the primary energy carrier in cells. Meanwhile, at the end of the electron transport chain, the electrons combine with oxygen and protons to form water, which serves as a crucial byproduct. This process highlights how energy is produced efficiently during aerobic respiration, making option B the correct answer.

The other options do not accurately describe the electron transport system's function. The formation of glucose does not occur in this stage (rather, it happens during photosynthesis or the Calvin cycle), oxygen is not converted into creatine, and while carbon dioxide is produced during respiration, it is not dissipated without energy generation as it is a byproduct of metabolic processes that occur prior to the electron transport stage.