What characteristic do paramagnetic materials exhibit in relation to magnetic fields?

Paramagnetic materials exhibit a unique characteristic in relation to magnetic fields due to their unpaired electrons. When exposed to an external magnetic field, the unpaired electrons' magnetic moments align with the direction of the field, which results in a net attraction toward the source of the magnetic field. This means that paramagnetic materials are attracted to external magnetic fields.

This attraction occurs because the presence of the magnetic field causes the individual magnetic moments of the unpaired electrons within the material to align partially with the field, enhancing the overall magnetic effect. Unlike ferromagnetic materials, which can retain magnetization after the external field is removed, paramagnetic materials do not retain this behavior once the magnetic field is taken away. Their attraction is only present while the external magnetic influence is active.

This understanding is crucial when distinguishing paramagnetism from other types of magnetic behavior, such as diamagnetism, where materials are weakly repelled, or ferromagnetism, where there is strong attraction and permanent magnetization.