Seven Steps: Snowflakes

S

AR E

W NO

FL

AK

MED AND WHY ARE FOR T H ES E

YN E V E R

TH

HO W

ES AM E?

H ow a re s n ow f l a ke s fo r m e d a n d

1

A Water D freezes

PARTIC

(H2O)

WATER MOLECULES

2 Hydrogen Atoms are bonded to one Oxygen Atom

d why a re t h ey n eve r t h e s a m e ?

Droplet o n t o Pollen

CLE

D us t o r

In the

Air

SUPER COOLED WATER is water that has remained unfrozen at temperatures below freezing

H ow a re s n ow f l a ke s fo r m e d a n d

2

More Water

join wi

Frozen Dus

Water molecules align themselves in a

CRYSTALLINE ARRANGEMENT

Particl

d why a re t h ey n eve r t h e s a m e ?

r molecules

er

s m to

t

we a

k

Atoms join n e to g y o fo r m a x

le

O

st/Pollen

2

mo

A

th the

Hy e r nd o b

droge

c a l le d

a

n

H ow a re s n ow f l a ke s fo r m e d a n d

This

3The Crys

HONEYCOMB Structure gives snowflakes their 6-fold symmetry

Arrang Of The Water

Particle

Basic Sh

Snow

d why a re t h ey n eve r t h e s a m e ?

stalline

gement

es forms the

hape of

Flakes

3 Hydrogen Bonds form a

BUCKLED HONEYCOMB The Forth Bond Layer. The last bond

connects to a layer above or below

H ow a re s n ow f l a ke s fo r m e d a n d

4

The Shap Snowflake

be altered by Lo

When there are less

water molecules in the air, the

molecules tend to attach to the

rougher spots of the snowflakes surface creating the Smooth Plates

seen in

Facets

Which

d why a re t h ey n eve r t h e s a m e ?

FACETS

pe of

s can then

ower Humidity

c a u s e s Facets to form

are straight adges that build up in a hexagonal arrangement

H ow a re s n ow f l a ke s fo r m e d a n d

Branching is an

INSTABILITY

5

Once branches start to form they can grow quite quickly.

Small bumps develop into large branches and bumbps on the branches become side branches.

hIGHER h also affe formation of

Causing branch

to form

d why a re t h ey n eve r t h e s a m e ?

When there are excess water

molecules around, they tend to attach themselves to the most

prominent parts of the structure like the corners.

hUMIDITY ects the snowflakes

hing patterns

When this happens more and more will connect to these parts making them stick out even more

H ow a re s n ow f l a ke s fo r m e d a n d

6

A snowflakes pattern by other contrib

MELTING

COLLI

on the way to the ground

with other or stru

This can lead to sno asymmetric

d why a re t h ey n eve r t h e s a m e ?

n can also be affected buting factors...

IDING

COMBINING

snowflakes uctures

with fellow snowflakes

owflakes having an cal pattern

H ow a re s n ow f l a ke s fo r m e d a n d

NEEDLES

7

COLUMNS

Snowflak classified basic pa

d why a re t h ey n eve r t h e s a m e ?

DENDRITES

kes can be d into six atterns STARS

PLATES WITH COLUMNS

PLATES

Lucy Dornan & Hayleigh Stanistreet