Question

Is oxygen paramagnetic or diamagnetic?

Answer 1

1. Diamagnetic substance: The compounds or molecules which have only the paired electron in their orbital are called diamagnetic substances.
2. Paramagnetic substance: The compounds or molecules which have at least an unpaired electron in their orbitals are called paramagnetic substances.
3. In an oxygen molecule, there are two unpaired electrons in its molecular orbital. So it has paramagnetic properties.
4. As free electrons move on their axis to produce a magnetic field.

Hence, oxygen is a paramagnetic substance.