what is the relation between unpaired electrons and magnetic property
KETHA SRAVANI , 6 Years ago
Grade 11
2 Answers
Arun
Last Activity: 6 Years ago
The magnetic properties of a substance can be determined by examining its electron configuration: If it has unpaired electrons, then the substance is paramagnetic and if all electrons are paired, the substance is then diamagnetic.
There are five forms of magnetic behavior. Ferromagnetism is when a material is attracted to a magnetic field and can spontaneously hold a magnetic field alone (the typical form of magnetism). Paramagnetism is when a material is attracted to a magnetic field but cannot spontaneously hold a magnetic field alone (the attraction may be too weak to observe practically). Diamagnetism is a material that expels magnetic fields (essentially non-magnetic). there is also ferrimagnetic and anti-ferromagnetic but though these are interesting they not incredibly relevant to the answer.
Electrons form the magnetic fields of materials. If a metal's atom have unpaired electrons the metal can attract a magnetic field. If all of the electrons are paired in opposite spin orbitals then the spins cancel each other out and no response to a magnetic field is observed.
Cobalt has unpaired electrons making it at minimum demonstrate paramagnetic behavior. It is however able to hold a magnetic field making it ferromagnetic. Most metals have unpaired electron and are paramagnetic (for example: aluminum, zirconium, titanium, magnesium and potassium) Ferromagnetic metals become paramagnetic at elevated temperatures and inversely many paramagnetic metals become ferromagnetic at low temperatures.
Hope this help
Good Luck
LIVE ONLINE CLASSES
Prepraring for the competition made easy just by live online class.