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Yes, Virginia, some snowflakes can look the same!
December 13, 2006Snowflakes are one of the most recognizable and endearing symbols of winter. Their intricate shapes have been the inspiration for Christmas ornaments, jewelry and U.S. postage stamps. They are the subject of song, school projects and even scientific investigation, including a possible impact on global warming.
Jon Nelson, a researcher with Ritsumeikan University in Japan, has studied snowflakes for 15 years, and has some interesting insights into their delicate structures.
Is it true that no two snowflakes are alike?
The old adage that 'no two snowflakes are alike' may ring true for larger snowflakes, but it might not hold true for smaller, simpler crystals that fall before they've had a chance to fully develop. Regardless, snow crystals have tremendous diversity, partly due to their very high sensitivity to tiny temperature changes as they fall through the clouds.
How do snowflakes form?
A snowflake starts as a dust grain floating in a cloud. Water vapor in the air sticks to the dust grain and the resulting droplet turns directly into ice. And that's where the science kicks in.
First, the tiny ice crystal becomes hexagonal (six-sided). This shape originates from the chemistry of the water molecule, which consists of two hydrogen atoms bonded to an oxygen atom. Because of the angle of the water molecule and its hydrogen-bonding, the water molecules in a snowflake chemically bond to each other to form the six-sided flake. The flake eventually sprouts six tiny branches. Each of these branches grows to form side branches in a direction and shape that are influenced by the clustering of water molecules on the ice crystal surfaces.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW ILLUSTRATION ABOUT HOW SNOWFLAKES ARE FORMED: http://acswebcontent.acs.org/journalist_resources/snowposter.pdf
Why are scientists interested in the study of snowflakes?
The study of snowflakes, which are really ice crystals, has recently become important due to the possible influences that these crystals have on global climate change. Researchers now believe that ice crystals play a crucial role in ozone depletion, possibly by acting as a catalyst to break down ozone. Ice crystals in the atmosphere also play a key role in building up electric charges in clouds and are therefore believed to influence the production of lightning, although the mechanism is unclear.
American Chemical Society
The old adage that 'no two snowflakes are alike' may ring true for larger snowflakes, but it might not hold true for smaller, simpler crystals that fall before they've had a chance to fully develop. Regardless, snow crystals have tremendous diversity, partly due to their very high sensitivity to tiny temperature changes as they fall through the clouds.
How do snowflakes form?
A snowflake starts as a dust grain floating in a cloud. Water vapor in the air sticks to the dust grain and the resulting droplet turns directly into ice. And that's where the science kicks in.
First, the tiny ice crystal becomes hexagonal (six-sided). This shape originates from the chemistry of the water molecule, which consists of two hydrogen atoms bonded to an oxygen atom. Because of the angle of the water molecule and its hydrogen-bonding, the water molecules in a snowflake chemically bond to each other to form the six-sided flake. The flake eventually sprouts six tiny branches. Each of these branches grows to form side branches in a direction and shape that are influenced by the clustering of water molecules on the ice crystal surfaces.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW ILLUSTRATION ABOUT HOW SNOWFLAKES ARE FORMED: http://acswebcontent.acs.org/journalist_resources/snowposter.pdf
Why are scientists interested in the study of snowflakes?
The study of snowflakes, which are really ice crystals, has recently become important due to the possible influences that these crystals have on global climate change. Researchers now believe that ice crystals play a crucial role in ozone depletion, possibly by acting as a catalyst to break down ozone. Ice crystals in the atmosphere also play a key role in building up electric charges in clouds and are therefore believed to influence the production of lightning, although the mechanism is unclear.
American Chemical Society
'Saucy' software update finds symmetries dramatically faster
Computer scientists at the University of Michigan developed open-source software that cuts the time to find symmetries in complicated equations from days to seconds in some cases.
Math Models Snowflakes
Three-dimensional snowflakes can now be grown in a computer using a program developed by mathematicians at UC Davis and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Snow made from potatoes
Films set in snow-laden winter landscapes cannot always be produced in the dead of winter. Until now, expensive artificial snow had to be imported from Hollywood to obtain the desired effects. In addition, it is always a laborious task to remove the splendid white chips made from polyethylene film after the shooting is over - almost unavoidable that some of the non-biodegradable plastic snow would remain. "With these types of artificial snow, some always ended up being blown around the set," remarks Frithjof Bauman from the department of Materials Research and Development at the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT near Karlsruhe. The scientists offer an elegant and biod
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