Which of the following best describes the concept of magnetic susceptibility?

The concept of magnetic susceptibility primarily refers to the ability of a material to become magnetized when exposed to an external magnetic field. It quantifies how much a material will become magnetized in response to an applied magnetic field, indicating whether it is attracted to or repelled from the field. A positive magnetic susceptibility means the material is attracted to the magnetic field (paramagnetic), whereas a negative value indicates that the material is repelled (diamagnetic).

The definition centers on the intrinsic properties of materials and their interactions with magnetic fields, making it a crucial concept in understanding how different substances behave in an MRI environment, where magnetic fields are present. Understanding magnetic susceptibility is particularly important in assessing the safety of different materials around MRI machines, as well as in determining the specific imaging properties of tissues and substances within the body during scans.