Alkali metals are paramagnetic but their salts are dimagnetic. Explain.

Explanation

General electronic configuration of alkali metlas is `ns^(1)`. i.e. they contain one unpaired electron in their valence shell and hence are paramagnetic. However, during salt formation, this unpaired electron is transferred to the non-metallic atom forming anion. As a result a salt has paired electrons both in the cation and anion and hence alkali metal salts are dimagnetic.