Final answer:
Lowering the temperature is the most likely cause for particles in a chemical reaction to slow down.
Lowering the temperature is the most likely cause of particles slowing down in a chemical reaction, as it decreases their kinetic energy and the frequency and energy of collisions, thereby reducing the reaction rate.
Step-by-step explanation:
The most likely cause for particles in a chemical reaction to slow down is lowering the temperature. When the temperature is decreased, the particles have lower average kinetic energy and move slower, resulting in fewer collisions and a lower reaction rate. Lowering the temperature reduces the activation energy available for the particles, making it more difficult for them to react.
Lowering the temperature is the most likely cause of particles slowing down in a chemical reaction, as it decreases their kinetic energy and the frequency and energy of collisions, thereby reducing the reaction rate.
The most likely cause of particles slowing down in a chemical reaction is lowering the temperature. Lowering the temperature results in a decrease in the kinetic energy of the particles, which, in turn, reduces their velocity and the frequency and energy of their collisions. Since kinetic energy is crucial for reactants to overcome the activation energy barrier and react, a lower temperature means that the particles are less likely to have sufficient energy for effective collisions that lead to a chemical reaction. As such, if the goal is to slow down the rate of a reaction, lowering the temperature is an effective method because it prevents the reactant particles from having enough energy to react.