They are just tiny ice crystals, but they are capable of infusing feelings and memories. Millions of people expect snow in these latitudes. whether you a Snowville Or you belong to that group of people who consider it a nuisance, then there is no denying that snow makes us kids again. So much so that many writers have spoken of her as A true natural work of art.
The snow
Of snowflakes, we know better the classic six-sided tree shapes, which feature elaborate, almost symmetrical branches. Dendritic form is the study of water chemistry. When ice forms at the molecular level, the angle between the hydrogen and oxygen atoms will always be 120 degrees; Putting three of them together, we get a whole ring of molecules with a six-sided structure. In fact, every time a water molecule attaches itself to this ring, it does so at the same angle.
The typical shape of a snow crystal
As the snowflake grows, the attachment of the water molecules is determined by temperature And frommoisture from the air. Since these features do not change much with increasing snowflake size, these attachments tend to occur evenly across the six points of the hexagonal flakes.
Molecule by molecule, the snowflake grows and eventually begins to fall. This takes the crust to a new part of the atmosphere, where the temperature and humidity are different, creating new ice structures, while maintaining the same set of angles.
Is every snow globe really unique?
A typical dendrite consists of approx quintillion of individual water molecules. Due to the subtle changes in temperature and humidity, and the huge number of molecules and bonding opportunities involved, the ice structures created can be incredibly diverse and complex.
For this reason, it is entirely possible that snowflakes will not form exactly the same way, and thus No two snowflakes are the same.
In contrast to the laboratory, where by strictly controlling the temperature and humidity it was possible to reproduce double wafers.
snow cover
Snow crystals never end in clouds. When they reach the ground and build up in the snow cover, they begin to change shape.
Freshly fallen snow tends to be light and fluffy because the flakes take up a lot of space and there is a lot of air between them and them. But over time, it loosens, compacts and thickens.
This process is known as sintering It is useful for building such snow shelters The igloo. But some of the most notable changes occur at the bottom of the snowpack, where the heat of the underlying soil and the cooler air above interact.
through process sublimation – Water molecules pass directly from ice to vapor, skipping the liquid phase – Upon refreezing, cup-shaped crystals a few centimeters in diameter are formed known as deep frost. Despite the beauty of appearance, deep frost has a low intensity, and when it forms on a steep slope, there is a possibility that the snow mass will slide in Avalanche.
Finally, next time it snows in your city, watch a snowflake fall on your mitten, because you’re almost guaranteed to see a formation no one has seen before.
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