Paramagnetic substances are attracted to magnetic fields. A set of synthetic mineral crystals was prepared with different metal ions substituted into the identical octahedral site in the lattice. If each crystal contained exactly the same number of the indicated metal ion, which would have the greatest attraction to a magnetic field?
A)Mn(II), high spin
B)Fe(II), high spin
C)Co(II), high spin
D)Ni(II), high spin
E)Cu(II), high spin

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Mn(II) in a high spin configuration has five unpaired electrons, which is the highest number among the options given. The more unpaired electrons a substance has, the stronger its paramagnetic properties and attraction to a magnetic field.

Paramagnetic Substances Are Attracted to Magnetic Fields