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Mitochondria Lab

Structure, respiration & ATP production

Experiment

Mission: identify structures, then follow energy from food to ATP.

Simulation

Speed1.00×

Cell conditions

Fuel / NADH supply70%

Oxygen available80%

ADP available65%

Inner-membrane leak8%

Live measurements

42%proton gradient

0.0ATP units/s

0.0O₂ units/s

Nonefocused structure

Click a structure to inspect its microscopic action.

Camera & tracking

Teacher tools

Draw blue pointer arrows

Interactive teacher-led lecture

Language

Voice source

Voice

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What to watch

Watch the complete mitochondrion rotate gently.

Teacher transcript

Chapters

Learning objectives

Identify the outer membrane, intermembrane space, cristae and matrix.
Trace electrons and pumped protons through oxidative phosphorylation.
Explain how ATP synthase uses a proton gradient.
Predict how oxygen, ADP and membrane leaks change ATP output.

Key idea

A mitochondrion converts chemical energy into ATP. Fuel oxidation supplies high-energy electrons. The electron transport chain uses their energy to pump H⁺ across the inner membrane. H⁺ then flows back through ATP synthase, powering ADP + phosphate → ATP. Oxygen accepts electrons at the end of the chain.

Particles and rates are educational visual scaling, not literal molecular size or measured cell counts.

Try these investigations

Set oxygen near zero and observe electron flow and ATP rate.
Increase membrane leak and watch the gradient drain.
Set ADP high: ATP synthase uses the gradient faster.
Compare smooth outer membrane with folded cristae.

Real-world connections

Muscle cells contain many mitochondria because contraction needs ATP. Cyanide blocks the electron chain; uncoupling proteins allow a controlled proton leak that releases more energy as heat.

Common misconception

Mitochondria do not “make energy.” They transform energy from nutrients into the transferable chemical energy of ATP.

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