Which group of elements is characterized by low boiling points?

The group of elements characterized by low boiling points is the noble gases. Noble gases, which include helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and radon, are known for their complete outer electron shells, making them chemically inert and stable. This stability contributes to their low boiling points, as the forces holding these atoms together in a gaseous state are weak van der Waals forces. Therefore, these gases remain in a gaseous form at relatively low temperatures, and their boiling points increase gradually down the group due to increasing atomic size and mass.

In contrast, transition metals have higher boiling points due to the presence of metallic bonding, which is strong and requires more energy to break. Alkaline earth metals generally have higher boiling points compared to noble gases for similar reasons, as they are metals and exhibit stronger metallic bonding. Halogens can exhibit variable boiling points; while some are low (like fluorine and chlorine), others have much higher boiling points, particularly iodine. Therefore, among the listed groups, noble gases distinctly stand out as having low boiling points.