Quantum Mechanical Exchange Forces,

involving the spins of the electrons, are

responsible for the phenomenon of
Ferromagnetism.
Ferromagnetism arises due to quantum
mechanical exchange forces.
The mechanism of exchange interaction, as
originally proposed by Heisenberg in 1928, is
one in which the forces involved are electrostatic
in origin, but which, because of the constraints
imposed by Pauli Exclusion Principle, are
formally equivalent to a very large coupling
between the electron spins.
Consider two electrons with two spin states
(up and down) each on different orbitals on the
same atom. Their spins can couple to form three
triplet and one singlet state. The triplet states
are symmetrical with respect to the interchange
of the two electrons whereas the singlet state is
anti-symmetrical.
Since only states whose overall symmetry is
anti-symmetrical are allowed in nature (due to
the Pauli Exclusion Principle), the spin triplet
states can only be combined with the orbital

symmetric state, and the singlet spin state with

the orbital symmetric state.
Although simple product of two electron
(orbital) states has the same energy if the
electrons are interchanged (one electron being
considered exactly the same as the other
electron), the symmetric or anti symmetric
combinations formed from these products no
longer have the same energy, because the
symmetrical solution allows the wave function to
have a large amplitude if the two electrons are at
the same point, while the anti-symmetrical wave
function then vanishes. Thus electrostatic
repulsive energy between the two electrons is
larger in the first case than in the second.
Because of the association of orbital and
spin states mentioned above, the energy
difference between orbital states of different
symmetry gets associated with an energy
difference between the spin-singlet and the spintriplet situations. This is tantamount to
introduction of a coupling energy between the
electron spins which is of the right form and
magnitude to give rise to Ferromagnetism.

The electron itself being a spinning charged

body acts like a spinning dipole (magnet). These
tiny internal spinning dipoles can interact and
get aligned to produce very large internal
magnetic fields which are usually found in
Ferromagnets.
The original Heisenberg model, with the
spins localized on the same atom, is a good
approximation in an ionic solid.
For Ni, Co or Fe, which are metals, an
improved model, in which the conduction
electrons serve as a medium through which an
interaction is transmitted between spins (which
are localized), is used.
(Ref: Electricity and Magnetism, Bleaney and
Bleaney, Oxford,1966, pp 650-1)