Question

Question #b3a29

Answer 1

Paramagnetism is when a substance has an electron configuration with at least one unpaired electron.

A common example for a paramagnetic element is iron, atomic number `26`. Its electron configuration is `["Ar"]3d^6 4s^2`.

We should recognize that with `l = 2` for the `3d` orbital, there are `m_l` values of `-2, -1, 0, +1, +2`, giving `2xx5 = \mathbf(10)` electrons possible within the `3d` orbitals.

You only have `6` in the `3d` for iron, so using the Aufbau principle, the Pauli Exclusion Principle, and Hund's rule, four of the orbitals have unpaired electrons.

Therefore, iron is paramagnetic.

---

As a side note, a diamagnetic compound has no unpaired electrons at all. So, zinc is diamagnetic.