Question

If a substance increases the number of protons concentrated in the mitochondrial intermembrane compartment would the result be weight gain or loss and why?

Answer 1

For this you should 1st know about the process of how ATP is made. This process is called chemiosmosis. In this process, H ions which are pumped inside the interior space of mitochondria by NAD (after its oxidized) comes out to the exterior. They come out according to concentration gradient through some special pores where ATP synthase uses their kinetic energy (since H ions are quite energetic) to convert ADP into ATP.
If more protons(H) are pumped inside, they will come out more frequently and hence more ATP will be made, and that means more energy. If one keeps their routine upto the diet they intake, then it will be normal which infact is an ideal case, otherwise in most cases weight will be gained (increased)