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Any atom with unpaired electrons in it's orbital exhibits paramagnetism, that is that it will be attracted into an inducing magnetic field. Phosphorous has 15 electrons: 1s>2e-(all paired) 2s>2e- 2p>6e-(all paired) 3s>2e-(these two are paired) 3p>3e-(note that these are the unpaired electrons that cause it to be paramagnetic) All this is because a moving negative charge produces a magnetic field if there are two electrons in the same orbital they always spin in opposite directions cancelling each other out. When there are unpaired electrons that creates the magnetic field.

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16y ago

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