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CHEM 121 Studioby Learn4Less · UBC CHEM 121

CHEM 121 glossary

Paramagnetic

Having at least one unpaired electron, so the species is drawn into a magnetic field. The more unpaired electrons, the stronger the attraction.

FeX3+\ce{Fe^3+}, 3d53d^5: five unpaired electrons.

Example

FeX3+\ce{Fe^3+} ([Ar] 3d5[\mathrm{Ar}]\,3d^5, 5 unpaired) is strongly paramagnetic. OX2\ce{O2} is paramagnetic too: MO theory puts 2 unpaired electrons in its π∗\pi^* orbitals, which a Lewis structure cannot show.

See alsoDiamagneticUnpaired electronHund's ruleMO diagram