Question #b3a29

1 Answer
Feb 1, 2016

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#.

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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.