Question 1 Report
The boiling points of the noble gases increase steadily as you move down Group 0 from helium to xenon. Which statement gives the reason for this trend in boiling point?
Boiling point depends on the strength of the forces of attraction between separate atoms, not on any bond inside them, since noble gases exist as single atoms. Going down Group 0 from helium to xenon, each atom has more shells and more electrons, so the atoms become larger and heavier and their electron clouds are more easily distorted. The weak attractions between neighbouring atoms therefore become stronger, and more energy is needed to pull them apart into a gas, so the boiling point rises steadily. Atoms do not become smaller down a group; they become bigger. The number of outer electrons stays at eight throughout, and the noble gases remain non-metals rather than turning into metals.
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