Have you ever noticed how no one snowflake looks the same? This is true; all snowflakes are different from each other because they are all different sizes, shapes, and patterns. Snowflakes form when very cold water droplets freeze which is a part of the magic that makes them all different.
The three ingredients involved in a single snowflake are ice crystals, dust, and water vapor. Dust particles can come from flower pollen, volcanic ash, or meteors. According to a studied article published in 2019, scientific consensus says that there is a zero percent likelihood that two snow crystals would possibility of being alike.
The picture above is also in the article, demonstrating the different snowflakes scientists, crystallographers, meteorologists, and physicists have had photographers take photos of. Do we know why snowflakes aren’t identical to each other though? Well, not all water molecules are alike which proves how snowflakes can’t be the same. Temperature and humidity play a big role in how the snowflake will look. Also, when snowflakes fall, they all follow different paths. This freefall in addition to the mentions of characteristics causes unique atmospheric conditions for the snowflakes and their identity.
This is the latest edition of “Did You Know?”, I hope everyone has a great rest of winter catching their own special snowflakes.
Sources I used: https://www.loc.gov/everyday-mysteries/meteorology-climatology/item/is-it-true-that-no-two-snow-crystals-are-alike/
https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-are-all-snowflakes-different
