What does paramagnetism mean?
Paramagnetism is the tendency of a material to be weakly attracted to an external magnetic field. It is especially associated with atoms and molecules that contain unpaired electrons, whose magnetic moments do not cancel one another. In physics, paramagnetism is one of several forms of magnetic behavior, alongside diamagnetism, ferromagnetism, and antiferromagnetism. Paramagnetic substances typically experience only a weak force toward a stronger magnetic field, and their response generally decreases as temperature rises. The term is used in discussions of materials science, chemistry, solid-state physics, and laboratory measurements. Although it is related to the broader phenomenon of magnetism, paramagnetism names a specific type of magnetic response rather than magnetism as a whole.
nounParamagnetism is the property of a material to be weakly attracted to a magnetic field. It occurs in substances whose atoms or molecules possess one or more unpaired electrons.
- The property of being weakly attracted by a magnetic field, especially in materials with unpaired electrons.
"The research team used a magnetometer to measure the paramagnetism of the sample at different temperatures."
"Oxygen gas displays paramagnetism because of its unpaired electrons."
"The experiment measured how the material's paramagnetism changed as the temperature increased."
Paramagnetism reveals that some materials behave like tiny, imperfect magnets when placed in a magnetic field.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does paramagnetism come from?
The word combines the prefix para-, meaning beside or related to, with magnetism, giving the sense of a related or particular kind of magnetic behavior. The underlying term magnetism derives from the Greek magnētis, referring to lodestone, a naturally magnetized mineral. The adjective paramagnetic developed in the scientific vocabulary of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries to describe weakly magnetic materials.
Related word forms
How paramagnetism is actually used
This is a technical physics term, usually used in formal scientific or educational contexts. It is more specific than magnetism and should not be used as a synonym for magnetism in general.
Easily confused with paramagnetism
Magnetism is the broader phenomenon involving magnetic forces and fields, whereas paramagnetism specifically describes weak attraction to a magnetic field.