Which of the following interventions would NOT increase the rate of reaction?

Decreasing the temperature would not increase the rate of reaction because reaction rates generally increase with temperature. As temperature rises, the kinetic energy of the molecules involved in the reaction also increases. This heightened energy results in more frequent collisions between reactant molecules and a greater chance that these collisions will have enough energy to overcome the activation energy barrier, leading to a higher probability of successful reactions occurring.

In contrast, increasing the concentration of reactants, increasing the surface area of solids, and raising the pressure of gases all facilitate a greater frequency of reactant interactions. Higher concentrations mean more molecules are present to collide; a larger surface area allows more sites for reaction, and increased pressure in gases results in more molecules being compressed into a smaller volume, enhancing collision rates. All these factors contribute positively to the rate of reaction, while lowering the temperature slows down the kinetic activity of the molecules, reducing the overall reaction rate.