The magnetic properties of amalgams

Abstract

The magnetic susceptibilities of a series of amalgams of known concentrations of bismuth, chromium, copper and manganese with mercury have been studied at room temperature, the Gouy method of measurement being employed in all cases. A study of the drop-weight method of measuring susceptibilities showed it to be quite unreliable for measurements with amalgams. In dilute amalgams manganese was found to possess an apparent atomic susceptibility of +13,7000 × 10-6, bismuth +133 × 10-6, chromium +23 × 10-6 and copper about -7.3 × 10-6 e.m.u. All metals so far studied which are diamagnetic in the solid state are paramagnetic in dilute amalgams, with the possible exception of copper.