Final answer:
Most reactions go from higher potential energy to lower potential energy because the reactants need to overcome an energy barrier, called activation energy. This energy input leads to a contorted state called the transition state, which is a high-energy, unstable state. From the transition state, the reactants can proceed to form the more stable products at a lower energy state.
Step-by-step explanation:
The reason why most reactions go from higher potential energy to lower potential energy is because the reactants need to overcome an energy barrier, called activation energy, before the reaction can occur. During a chemical reaction, certain chemical bonds are broken and new ones are formed, which require some energy input. This energy input leads to a contorted state called the transition state, which is a high-energy, unstable state. From the transition state, the reactants can proceed to form the more stable products at a lower energy state.