![]() Each “ring” of our snowflake tells us something about the conditions it was experiencing while that portion of the crystal formed. If the conditions vary as it falls, the result can be a crystal with longer fern-like offshoots, or dendrites.īecause the snow crystal forms from the center out as it falls, we can think of their structures similar to how we study tree rings. If it encounters fairly constant conditions as it falls, the resulting snowflake will grow evenly, creating facets shaped like hexagonal plates. Water molecules will also deposit more readily on the corners and edges of the crystal, causing it to expand outward while staying relatively flat.Īs the snow crystal continues to travel and grow, the conditions it encounters along the way will determine how the crystal forms. A crystal which encounters more humidity will grow faster than one that has less available humidity. While the tiny flake is blown about, the entire crystal experiences the same atmospheric conditions, meaning all six faces of the crystal should form symmetrically. As the newly formed ice crystal is blown through the air, it gathers more water molecules and continues to grow. At the center, or nucleus, of each snowflake is a perfect hexagonal ring of water molecules, frozen around a single tiny speck of dust.įrom there, each flake’s story gets more unique. When a snowflake, or snow crystal, first forms, water vapor deposits onto a speck of dust floating in the air. For example, because of their atomic arrangement, water molecules usually connect at 60-degree angles, resulting in the six-sided hexagonal shapes we associate with snowflakes. A crystal is a solid material that has an organized structure. This is also how ice crystals form on your windshield overnight. Snow forms when the water vapor in the air freezes directly to form ice crystals in a process called deposition. Now that doesn’t mean that snow is just frozen raindrops, that would be sleet. Snowflakes form when the air is cold enough for water to freeze. Let’s take a closer look at how that diversity happens. Snowflakes come in a near infinite variety of shapes and sizes, from tiny specks to big fluffy puffs, and everything in between. From the science of their formation to the symmetry and mathematics that govern their shapes, there is a lot to discover when examining a snowflake. ![]() Whether you love the clean beauty of a freshly fallen snow or dread the inevitable shoveling and slush, there aren’t many better examples of STEAM in nature than the humble snowflake. Janu/ Kids & Families, Educators & Students, Nature, ScienceĪs we begin the new year and prepare for the deep of winter, many of us may have mixed feelings about that fluffy white stuff that often covers the ground this time of year.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |