Under which of the following conditions will the process of evaporation be slowest?

Correct Answer: Both surface area and temperature decrease

Step-by-Step Explanation:

Evaporation is a surface phenomenon where molecules of a liquid change into vapor state below the boiling point. The rate of evaporation depends on several physical factors:

1. Surface Area: Evaporation takes place from the exposed surface of the liquid. A larger surface area allows more liquid molecules to be exposed to the air at any given time, increasing the rate of evaporation. Conversely, decreasing the surface area reduces the number of escaping liquid molecules, which slows down the process of evaporation.

2. Temperature: Higher temperatures supply more thermal kinetic energy to the liquid molecules, enabling a larger fraction of them to overcome intermolecular forces and escape into the vapor phase. Conversely, decreasing the temperature lowers the kinetic energy of the molecules, significantly slowing down the evaporation rate.

Conclusion:

Since both a decrease in surface area and a decrease in temperature individually reduce the rate of evaporation, the condition under which evaporation will be at its absolute slowest is when both surface area and temperature decrease.