Paramagnetism and Diamagnetism - Video Tutorials & Practice Problems
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- An orbital can hold a maximum of 2 electrons with opposite spins, adhering to the Pauli exclusion principle.
- Paramagnetic substances contain at least one unpaired electron in an orbital and are influenced by magnetic fields.
- Diamagnetic substances have all electrons paired within their orbitals and are not influenced by magnetic fields.
- The magnetic properties of elements or ions can be determined by examining their electron configurations for unpaired or paired electrons.
Paramagnetism and Diamagnetism
Video transcript
Paramagnetism and Diamagnetism Example
Video transcript
Here it says to determine if the vanadium atom is paramagnetic or diamagnetic. So atom means that it's in its neutral form. Vanadium is represented by V. If you look at the periodic table, its atomic number is 23.
Here its electron configuration would be argon 4S23D1. If we look, we know that in South orbitals there's only one orbital and they can hold a maximum of two electrons. So the four orbital is already filled in with two electrons.
Our D sublevel has five orbitals, and here there's only one electron there. So vanadium has one electron by itself within an orbital, so it's unpaired, meaning that the vanadium atom is paramagnetic. So just remember, if you have at least one electron by itself in any given orbital, it's a paramagnetic species.
Which of the following atoms has the most unpaired electrons?
Write the condensed electron configuration for the nickel (III) ion and state if it is paramagnetic or diamagnetic.
Write the condensed electron configuration for the copper (I) ion and is it magnetic?
[Ar]4s23d9 ; Diamagnetic
; Diamagnetic
[Ar]4s23d9 ; Paramagnetic
[Ar]3d10 ; Paramagnetic
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