How does ferromagnetism differ from paramagnetism?

Ferromagnetism and paramagnetism are both forms of magnetism, but they differ significantly in their atomic behavior and response to magnetic fields.

• Spontaneous Alignment: In ferromagnetic materials, atomic magnetic dipoles spontaneously align parallel to one another even without an external magnetic field, often forming regions called domains. In contrast, paramagnetic materials only exhibit magnetism in the presence of an external field, as their atomic dipoles tend to align with the field but lack the spontaneous, long-range order of ferromagnets.1234
• Magnetic Susceptibility: Ferromagnets have large, positive magnetic susceptibility, meaning they are easily magnetized and can retain a residual magnetic field (remanence). Paramagnetic materials have small, positive susceptibility, meaning they are only weakly attracted to magnets.425
• Temperature Dependence: Ferromagnetic properties persist only below a specific Curie point; above this temperature, thermal energy overcomes the internal alignment, and the material becomes paramagnetic. Paramagnetic susceptibility is inversely proportional to temperature, as thermal motion interferes with the alignment of dipoles.1245