Why isn't gunpowder paramagnetic?

Question

I have to identify bad science in movies and in the new Indiana Jones movie, it shows gunpowder attracted to itself in an external magnetic field.

Answer 1

For one thing, it's not a single compound, but a mixture of sulfur, charcoal and potassium nitrate.

Substances which are paramagnetic have one or more unpaired electrons.  None of those components are looking like possible suspects.  

More movie myths from the Indy movie:

http://sfblunders.wordpress.com/2008/06/...