About Snowflakes      



It's true...you Northerners desperately want to know how snowflakes are formed while you shovel snow for the 15th time this winter. From sunny California by way of sunny Florida, here you go:

A Cal Tech physicist studied snowflakes in nature and in the lab. Snowflakes all conform to one of two basic patterns, either a six- or 12-pointed star, with symmetrical branches of lace or a column.

   Snow crystals grow by receiving more water molecules from the air. A thin, flat crystal forms when the structure's edges bring in molecules more quickly than the inner face.

   But when the face draws in molecules faster than the edges do, the crystal grows taller, forming a  needle or hollow column. Which process takes place depends largely on temperature. 

   Snowflakes are always symmetrical because the two hydrogen and one oxygen molecules (H2O) lock together to form a hexagon. The hexagon in turn makes ice less dense than liquid water, which affects geochemistry, geophysics and climate.

   Thought you would like to know that. 😏  

   Another physicist, at Rice University, said if ice did not float, insulating the water under it in winter, "life on Earth would not be possible." We take his word for it.

   So, maybe we should pray that global warming is reversed and you all have more snowflakes to shovel...more opportunity to examine them and determine whether they are flat or tall, six- or 12-point. 

   Good luck finding two that look alike. 

         Jimmy