diamagnetism

views updated May 08 2018

diamagnetism When a magnetic field is applied to electrons orbiting a nucleus, the individual electron spins precess and result in a field in the opposite direction to that applied. All atoms and molecules show this form of magnetization, usually with a negative susceptibility of the order of 10−5 or less, but it can have paramagnetism and/or ferromagnetism superimposed upon it.

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