Chemistry Transition Elements PMC 2021
PMDC Verified Question 37 of 68
Paramagnetic behaviour of transition elements is due to presence of ____?
A
s electrons
B
Unpaired electrons
C
Paired electrons
D
Outer d electrons
Tap any option to test your recall and reveal the step-by-step Propolis autopsy.

Propolis Cognitive Error Autopsy

Official Correct Choice:
Option B: Unpaired electrons
Concept:

Magnetic properties of atoms are dictated by the spin of their electrons. Paramagnetism is the tendency of a substance to be drawn into a magnetic field.

Solution:

  • Every electron acts like a tiny magnet due to its spin.


  • If electrons are paired (one spin up, one spin down), their magnetic fields cancel exactly, resulting in diamagnetism (slight repulsion).


  • If electrons are unpaired, their individual magnetic moments add up. This creates a net magnetic moment that aligns with an external field, causing attraction. This is paramagnetism.


Why other options are incorrect:

  • It is the pairing status of the electron, not strictly whether it is an \(s\) or \(d\) electron, that determines magnetism.

Quality & Fidelity Assurance: Every question on BeambePrep is rigorously curated against the official PMDC syllabus with zero filler, zero out-of-syllabus content, and zero typos. When an authentic past paper originally contained a historical mistake or ambiguity from the examining board (such as UHS or NUMS), BeambePrep faithfully reflects the original paper while detailing the nuance and scientific consensus in the autopsy above.

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