Magnetic Particle Inspection Level 1 Practice Exam

How do diamagnetic materials react to a magnetic field?

1. They are strongly attracted

2. They are weakly repelled

3. They are unaffected

4. They can be magnetized

The correct answer is: They are weakly repelled

Diamagnetic materials exhibit a unique behavior in the presence of a magnetic field. When exposed to a magnetic field, they experience a weak repulsion. This is due to the fact that the electrons in diamagnetic materials are paired, resulting in no net magnetic moment. When a magnetic field is applied, these paired electrons create an opposing magnetic field, which leads to the weak repulsive effect. This characteristic distinguishes diamagnetic materials from other types of magnetic materials. For instance, ferromagnetic materials are strongly attracted to magnetic fields, while paramagnetic materials are also attracted but to a much lesser extent. Since diamagnetic materials are only weakly repelled, they do not exhibit any permanent magnetism and, in general, show very little interaction with magnetic fields compared to other materials. Therefore, the correct understanding of how diamagnetic materials react to magnetic fields is essential for those working in fields that involve magnetic particle inspection and material evaluation.