Which statement best describes a paramagnetic substance?

Which statement best describes a paramagnetic substance?

• A. Have An Unpaired Electron
• B. All Electrons Are Paired
• C. Are Repelled By Magnets
• D. Are Not Attracted To Magnets

Answer: (A)

Paramagnetism arises when a substance contains unpaired electrons. Those unpaired electrons each have a magnetic moment, and if they don’t cancel out, the material shows a net magnetic moment that tends to align with an external magnetic field. This makes the substance attracted to a magnet, though the attraction is typically weak. If all electrons are paired, their magnetic moments cancel, yielding diamagnetism, where the material is weakly repelled by a magnetic field. So the best description is that a paramagnetic substance has an unpaired electron. The other statements describe diamagnetic behavior or incorrect ideas about attraction.

Paramagnetism arises when a substance contains unpaired electrons. Those unpaired electrons each have a magnetic moment, and if they don’t cancel out, the material shows a net magnetic moment that tends to align with an external magnetic field. This makes the substance attracted to a magnet, though the attraction is typically weak. If all electrons are paired, their magnetic moments cancel, yielding diamagnetism, where the material is weakly repelled by a magnetic field. So the best description is that a paramagnetic substance has an unpaired electron. The other statements describe diamagnetic behavior or incorrect ideas about attraction.