Textbook Question
Write out the ground-state electron configurations of c. Au³⁺ ,
Ch.23 - Transition Metals and Coordination Chemistry
Chapter 23, Problem 18
Which type of magnetic material cannot be used to make permanent magnets: a ferromagnetic substance, an antiferromagnetic substance, or a ferrimagnetic substance?
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Understand the types of magnetic materials. Ferromagnetic, antiferromagnetic, and ferrimagnetic materials have different magnetic properties due to their atomic structures and electron alignments.
Step 2: Define ferromagnetic materials. These materials have unpaired electrons with parallel spins, resulting in a strong net magnetic moment. They can be magnetized to become permanent magnets.
Step 3: Define antiferromagnetic materials. In these materials, adjacent ions have opposite spins, canceling each other out, resulting in no net magnetic moment. This makes them unsuitable for permanent magnets.
Step 4: Define ferrimagnetic materials. These materials have a net magnetic moment due to unequal opposing magnetic moments, allowing them to be used as permanent magnets, though typically weaker than ferromagnetic materials.
Step 5: Conclude that antiferromagnetic substances cannot be used to make permanent magnets due to their lack of a net magnetic moment.
Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Ferromagnetism
Ferromagnetic materials have unpaired electron spins that align parallel to each other, resulting in a strong magnetic field. This alignment can persist even after the external magnetic field is removed, allowing these materials to be used to create permanent magnets. Common examples include iron, cobalt, and nickel.
Antiferromagnetism
Antiferromagnetic materials have adjacent electron spins that align in opposite directions, effectively canceling each other out. This results in no net magnetic moment, meaning these materials cannot maintain a permanent magnetization. Examples include manganese oxide and iron oxide at certain temperatures.
Ferrimagnetism
Ferrimagnetic materials contain two different types of ions with opposing magnetic moments that do not completely cancel each other out, leading to a net magnetic moment. While they can exhibit magnetic properties, they do not retain magnetization as effectively as ferromagnetic materials, making them less suitable for permanent magnets. An example is magnetite (Fe3O4).