If the magnetic susceptibility of a specimen is small and positive, the specimen is

Options

A. diamagnetic
B. paramagnetic
C. ferromagnetic
D. non-magnetic

Answer

To determine the nature of a specimen based on its magnetic susceptibility, we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Understand Magnetic Susceptibility
Magnetic susceptibility (χ) is a measure of how easily a material can be magnetized when exposed to a magnetic field. It is defined as the ratio of the magnetization (M) of the material to the magnetic field intensity (H) applied to it:
\[ \chi = \frac{M}{H} \]

### Step 2: Identify the Ranges of Magnetic Susceptibility
Different materials have different ranges of magnetic susceptibility:
- **Diamagnetic materials**: Have a small negative susceptibility, typically in the range of \(-1 < \chi < 0\).
- **Paramagnetic materials**: Have a small positive susceptibility, typically in the range of \(0 < \chi < 1\).
- **Ferromagnetic materials**: Have a large positive susceptibility, often greater than 1.

### Step 3: Analyze the Given Condition
The problem states that the magnetic susceptibility of the specimen is small and positive. This indicates that:
\[ 0 < \chi < 1 \]
This range is characteristic of paramagnetic materials.

### Step 4: Conclusion
Since the magnetic susceptibility is small and positive, the specimen is classified as **paramagnetic**.

### Final Answer
The specimen is **paramagnetic**.

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