Electron Spin
Electron spin is the intrinsic angular momentum of an electron, which is accompanied by a Magnetic Dipole.
Electron spin is important because it determines whether an atom will generate a magnetic field:
- Paramagnetic: Atoms with unpaired electrons are attracted to magnets
- Diamagnetic: Atoms with paired electrons are not attracted to magnets
These spins and orbital motions of electrons within certain materials, like iron, align in a way that creates a net magnetic field. This alignment is a result of interactions at the atomic and quantum levels.