Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Magnetic susceptibility refers to the measure of how easily a material can be magnetized in the presence of an external magnetic field.
Related terms
Paramagnetic Materials: These materials have positive magnetic susceptibility, meaning they are weakly attracted to an external magnetic field.
Diamagnetic Materials: These materials have negative magnetic susceptibility, meaning they are weakly repelled by an external magnetic field.
Ferromagnetic Materials: These materials have very high positive magnetic susceptibility and can become strongly magnetized in the presence of an external magnetic field.