Which of the following statements about a ferromagnetic material is correct? It

Step 1: Analyze the question We need to pick the true statement about ferromagnetic materials such as iron, cobalt and nickel.

Step 2: The concept Ferromagnetic materials are strongly attracted by magnets. Inside them, small regions called domains line up easily with an applied magnetic field. This gives them these properties:

• High magnetic susceptibility (χm): the material becomes strongly magnetised in an applied field. Susceptibility measures how easily this happens.
• High relative permeability (μr): μr = 1 + χm, so a large χm means a large μr, often in the hundreds or thousands.
• They are attracted by magnets. They do not repel.

Step 3: Check each option

• A. Has a high susceptibility. Correct. Ferromagnets are very easily magnetised, so χm is large and positive.
• B. Attracts non-magnetic materials. Wrong. A non-magnetic material, such as wood or plastic, is not attracted by a ferromagnet.
• C. Has low relative permeability. Wrong. Ferromagnets have high relative permeability. This is why iron is used as a core in electromagnets and transformers.
• D. Repels other magnetic materials. Wrong. Ferromagnets are attracted to magnetic materials. Repulsion happens only between like poles of two magnets, and it is not a general property of ferromagnetic materials. (Diamagnetic materials are the ones weakly repelled.)

Step 4: Answer The correct option is A: a ferromagnetic material has a high susceptibility.

Exam tip: Remember "Ferro = Fantastically magnetic." Ferromagnets have high χm, high μr, and strong attraction. Diamagnetic materials have small negative χm, and paramagnetic materials have small positive χm.