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There are 2.0×10²⁴ molecular dipoles in a paramagnetic salt. Each has dipole moment 1.5×10⁻²³ A m². Find maximum (saturation) magnetization in the specimen.

Asked in GUJCET 2008 · Magnetisation, intensity and susceptibility

Answer: (2) 30 A m²

Step-by-step solution

Given: N=2.0×10²⁴ dipoles, each of moment m=1.5×10⁻²³ A m².

Idea: saturation means every molecular dipole has been turned to point the same way, so the individual moments simply add.

Total moment =Nm=(2.0×10²⁴)(1.5×10⁻²³).

Mantissas: 2.0×1.5=3.0. Powers of ten: 10²⁴×10⁻²³=10¹.

So Nm=3.0×10¹=30 A m².

Note what the options measure: they are in A m², so what is wanted is the saturated dipole moment of the whole specimen, not the magnetisation M (moment per unit volume, unit A m⁻¹) -- no volume is given, so it could not be found anyway.

Why the other options are wrong

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