Why is the melting point of Argon so much lower than any of the Period 3 elements?

The melting point of argon is much lower than those of period 3 because, being a noble gas, it exists as atoms, rather than molecules, which directly impacts the strength of its .

Melting point temperatures are determined by the strength of the and by the characteristics of the structure of the elements.

Melting point temperatures increase starting with the first three elements in the period – these elements form , they peak at silicon, which forms a giant covalent lattice, i.e. a network of , then drop significantly when you get to the .

These do not form structures, but rather exist as independent molecules (or atoms, in argon’s case).

These molecules only exhibit weak , or London dispersion forces (LDF), which means that much less energy is needed to melt or boil them.

The size of the molecule plays an important role in determining the strength of the LDFs – the bigger the molecule, the stronger these forces will be.

Since argon exists as single atoms, the LDFs will be extremely weak, hence the very low melting and boiling points it has.

So, argon only exists as individual atoms ##->## in exhibits very weak ##->## it has a very low melting point.

Show more







Calculate Your Essay Price
(550 words)

Approximate price: $22

Calculate the price of your order

550 words
We'll send you the first draft for approval by September 11, 2018 at 10:52 AM
Total price:
$26
The price is based on these factors:
Academic level
Number of pages
Urgency
Basic features
  • Free title page and bibliography
  • Unlimited revisions
  • Plagiarism-free guarantee
  • Money-back guarantee
  • 24/7 support
On-demand options
  • Writer’s samples
  • Part-by-part delivery
  • Overnight delivery
  • Copies of used sources
  • Expert Proofreading
Paper format
  • 275 words per page
  • 12 pt Arial/Times New Roman
  • Double line spacing
  • Any citation style (APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, Harvard)

Our guarantees

Delivering a high-quality product at a reasonable price is not enough anymore.
That’s why we have developed 5 beneficial guarantees that will make your experience with our service enjoyable, easy, and safe.

Money-back guarantee

You have to be 100% sure of the quality of your product to give a money-back guarantee. This describes us perfectly. Make sure that this guarantee is totally transparent.

Read more

Zero-plagiarism guarantee

Each paper is composed from scratch, according to your instructions. It is then checked by our plagiarism-detection software. There is no gap where plagiarism could squeeze in.

Read more

Free-revision policy

Thanks to our free revisions, there is no way for you to be unsatisfied. We will work on your paper until you are completely happy with the result.

Read more

Privacy policy

Your email is safe, as we store it according to international data protection rules. Your bank details are secure, as we use only reliable payment systems.

Read more

Fair-cooperation guarantee

By sending us your money, you buy the service we provide. Check out our terms and conditions if you prefer business talks to be laid out in official language.

Read more

Order your essay today and save 10% with the coupon code: best10