Respiration Reviews

17. Electron acceptors accept the energized electrons given to them by NADH and FADH2. As the electrons are passed between the electron acceptors in the cristae, small amounts of energy are removed from them to power proton (hydrogen) pumps, thus initiating chemiosmosis. The final electron acceptor then takes the electron (which has now lost most of its energy) and passes it back to the matrix, where oxygen can then pick it up and thus be reduced to water.