Paramagnetism
Definition
Weak attraction to magnets — materials like aluminum whose atoms carry unpaired electrons line up slightly with an applied field.
Technical definition
Magnetic susceptibility χ > 0 but tiny (~10⁻⁵); magnetization follows Curie's law M ∝ B/T and vanishes when the field is removed.
Example
Liquid oxygen is paramagnetic — pour it between strong magnet poles and the stream visibly deflects.
Common confusion
Paramagnets don't stay magnetic. Remove the field and thermal jiggling randomizes the atoms instantly — unlike ferromagnets, there is no memory.