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Chemistry Forums for Students => Undergraduate General Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: spirochete on March 10, 2009, 11:49:14 PM

Title: Why does elemental iron have such a strong magnetic moment?
Post by: spirochete on March 10, 2009, 11:49:14 PM

Elemental iron has a much larger magnetic moment than Fe(II) and Fe(III) complexes.  Why?

Magnetism is caused by unpaired electrons, but electron configurations don't explain it. 

Is it because elemental iron is more ferromagnetic while the Ionic complexes are para and/or antiferromagnetic?  If so, why would that be?

Title: Re: Why does elemental iron have such a strong magnetic moment?
Post by: ARGOS++ on March 11, 2009, 10:36:45 AM

Dear spirochete;

The property of ferromagnetism (also for iron) is NOT ONLY due to the direct influence of two effects from quantum mechanics: spin and the Pauli Exclusion Principle, as Wiki is telling us:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferromagnet

Hope to have been of help to you.
Good Luck!
                    ARGOS⁺⁺