A material showing paramagnetism has an induced magnetization in the direction of a weak applied field, giving positive magnetic susceptibility, and no spontaneous magnetization once the field is removed in the paramagnetic phase. Alignment of permanent atomic or nuclear moments is one mechanism.

A material showing diamagnetism develops an induced moment opposing the applied field, giving negative magnetic susceptibility. Closed electronic shells supply a familiar orbital contribution; the response need not require permanent moments.

A ferromagnet has a phase with a spontaneous ordered magnetization below its Curie temperature, produced by cooperative alignment of moments. Its magnetic domains can cancel in a macroscopic zero-field sample, so a measured zero net moment alone does not show that the material lacks ferromagnetism.