Paramagnetic materials are substances that are attracted to magnetic fields. This occurs because they have unpaired electrons, which create a magnetic moment. When exposed to an external magnetic field, these unpaired electrons align with the field, causing the material to become magnetized. Unlike ferromagnetic materials, which retain their magnetism after the external field is removed, paramagnetic materials only exhibit magnetism in the presence of a magnetic field. Common examples of paramagnetic substances include oxygen and certain metal ions like iron and manganese.