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Name: David
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Question:
I am confused. I am told that chrome is antiferromagnetic. So, is chrome magnetic or not?


Replies:
There are many different types of magnetic behavior -- ferromagnetism, ferrimagnetism, antiferromagnetism, diamagnetism, paramagnetism. They are all types of magnetism, but are all different. One way to think of 'magnetism' is like 'color'. Each of these different kinds of magnetism is like a different 'color'. You may have a red object and blue object that look very different, but they both are 'colored'.

It turns out elemental chromium has some quite funky and interesting magnetic properties, probably beyond the scope of this forum. Different oxides of chromium have different magnetic properties as well.

Hope this helps,

Burr Zimmerman


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