Phosphorus
Phosphorus contains P4 molecules. To melt phosphorus
you don't have to break any covalent bonds - just the much weaker van der Waals
forces between the molecules.
Sulphur
Sulphur
consists of S8 rings of atoms. The molecules are bigger than
phosphorus molecules, and so the van der Waals attractions will be stronger,
leading to a higher melting and boiling point.
Chlorine
Chlorine, Cl2, is a much smaller molecule with
comparatively weak van der Waals attractions, and so chlorine will have a lower
melting and boiling point than sulphur or phosphorus.
Argon
Argon molecules are just single argon atoms, Ar. The scope for van
der Waals attractions between these is very limited and so the melting and
boiling points of argon are lower again.
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