Question

Which best explains why the trend in noble gas boiling points increases down the group?A) increasing dispersion interactions B) increasing dipole-dipole interactions C) increasing ion-dipole interactions D) increasing hydrogen bonding interactions E) increasing ion-ion interactions

Answer 1

Answer:

A) increasing dispersion interactions

Explanation:

Polarizability allows gases containing atoms or nonpolar molecules (for example,  to condense. In these gases, the most important kind of interaction produces dispersion forces, attractive forces that arise as a result of temporary dipoles induced in atoms or molecules.

Dispersion forces, which are also called London forces, usually increase with molar mass because molecules with larger molar mass tend to have more electrons, and dispersion forces increase in strength with the number of electrons. Furthermore, larger molar mass often means a bigger atom whose electron distribution is more easily disturbed because the outer electrons are less tightly held by the nuclei.

Because the noble gases are all nonpolar molecules, the only attractive intermolecular  forces present are the dispersion forces.