When water freezes inside clouds, ice crystals form. Ice crystals are
crystals that have formed around tiny bits of dirt that have been carried up
into the atmosphere by the wind. The ice crystals join together creating snow
flakes. Once the flakes are heavy enough they fall to the ground as snow. Each
snowflake is made up of from 2 to about 200 separate crystals. In addition to a
normal snow fall, snow can drift to the ground lightly as flurries, fall heavily
as a snowstorm, or pile up quickly by being blown by strong winds in a blizzard.
What Color Is Snow?
Believe it or not, snow is actually clear/transparent. Snow appears white
because the crystals act as prisms, breaking up the light of the sun into the
entire spectrum of color. The human eye is unable to handle that kind of sensory
overload. Therefore, we see the snow as white or sometimes blue. The color of
snow can depend on the environment in which you live. Some snowflakes look like
they are pink. If you live in a place where your soil is red, snow is pink. The
red dust blows into the clouds, discoloring the snow.
How Big Is A Snowflake?
Most snowflakes are less than one-half inch across. The largest snowflake
recorded was fifteen inches in diameter. All snowflakes have six sides and no
two snowflakes are alike.
How Many Snowflake Shapes Are There?
Scientists think that there are five different shapes of snow crystals. A
long needle shape, hollow column that is shaped like a six-sided prism, thin and
flat six-sided plates, six-pointed stars and intricate dendrites.
What Makes The Different Shapes?
The shape that a snow crystal will take depends on the temperature at which
it was formed. When the temperature is around 32°F to 25°F thin six-sides plates
are formed. At 25°F to 21°F long needle shapes are formed. At 21°F to 14°F
hallow columns are formed. At 14°F to 10°F six-point stars are formed. At 10°F
to 3°F dendrites are formed. The colder it is outside, the smaller the
snowflakes that fall. The fluffiest snow falls at temperatures around 15°F.
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