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Ch.23 - Transition Metals and Coordination Chemistry

Chapter 23, Problem 17

Which type of substance is attracted by a magnetic field, a diamagnetic substance or a paramagnetic substance?

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Welcome back everyone. A diamagnetic transition metal is attracted to a magnetic field. Is this statement true or false. Let's recall that we can have diamagnetic transition metals. So first of all, we are going to analyze diamagnetic ones and also we often deal with paramagnetic ones. So what is the difference? It is important to remember that diamagnetic transition metals have all the electrons paired. And as we understand, our magnetic ones have at least one electron unpaired. From here, we can essentially conclude that due to the fact that all of the electrons in a diamagnetic transition metal are paired, such transition metals would not be attracted to a magnetic field or would be attracted to a magnetic field weakly, right, because all of these electrons are paired. While paramagnetic ones, due to the fact that they have at least one electron unpaired, they are strongly attracted to a magnetic field. Therefore, this statement is false. It essentially applies to paramagnetic transition metals. Since ferromagnetic transition metals contain at least a one unpaired electron, they are attracted to a magnetic field. But diamagnetic transition metals are not attracted to a magnetic field. And therefore this statement is false Thank you for watching.