How
are snowflakes formed?
My question is fairly simple but I did not
know the answer, so here is what I found out.
Snow is formed when temperatures are low and there is moisture in the atmosphere. The moisture is in the form of tiny ice crystals. When these collide they stick together in clouds and become snowflakes. If enough ice crystals stick together they will become heavy enough to fall to the ground. Although, snowflakes will only fall when the air temperature is below 2ºC otherwise it will melt and fall as sleet or rain.
Snow is formed when temperatures are low and there is moisture in the atmosphere. The moisture is in the form of tiny ice crystals. When these collide they stick together in clouds and become snowflakes. If enough ice crystals stick together they will become heavy enough to fall to the ground. Although, snowflakes will only fall when the air temperature is below 2ºC otherwise it will melt and fall as sleet or rain.
The size and make up of a snowflake depends on how many ice crystals group together and this depends by air temperatures. Dry, cool air will be small powdery snowflakes that don't stick together. However, when temperature is warmer than 0ºC, snowflakes melt around the edges and stick together to become big snowflakes. This is the best snow for making snow men!
In addition, snowflakes can occur in lots
of different shapes and forms. Every snowflake is unique but will have six
sides because they join together in a hexagonal structure.
Sources:
A simple Q but it can become a complex answer. I think there is a snowflake classification created by a Japanese researcher called Nakaya which not only allows you to describe a snowflake using a standard terminology but also links shape to the atmospheric conditions in which the snowflakes form. See http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/class/class.htm for an interesting overview on this.
ReplyDeleteI hope I remember to check this out next time we get snow - loads of potential to get children (and adults) LOOKING and DESCRIBING and DRAWING but also using the snowflakes as clues to what is going on up there above us.