The Chemistry of Snowflakes - Bytesize Science

The video tracks formation of snowflakes from their origins in bits of dust in clouds that become droplets of water falling to Earth. When the droplets cool, six crystal faces form because water molecules bond in hexagonal networks when they freeze. It explains that ice crystals grow fastest at the corners between the faces, fostering development of the six branches that exist in most snowflakes. As snowflakes continue to develop, the branches can spread, grow long and pointy, or branch off into new arms. As each snowflake rises and falls through warmer and cooler air, it thus develops its own distinctive shape.

Produced by the American Chemical Society

• Category

  Science & Technology

[maplobats]

I think it is shameful for any scientific community to be using Fahrenheit.

[Jaime Gomez]

wonderful, just try to use Celsius instead, it is more accurate and better understood worldwide. Thanks!

[Onyi noyi]

exactly what i think! i was just surprised when they said 8 degrees

[qazmatron]

This video contains a practical joke: The animated snowflakes at the beginning have 6-way symmetry (usual), 12-way symmetry (possible), and 9-way symmetry (not possible).

[featuringfranklin]

The video was produced by a well-known scientific body, not FOR a well-known scientific body.

[GDop26]

I've always found it most strange for countries that use Fahrenheit to also be using Celsius in science classrooms and other educational settings.

[copymizer]

the FUCK is fahrenheit

[maplobats]

The video was produced by a well known scientific body, and in the scientific world, Celsius (or Kelvin) is used (even in the 5 countries that still use Fahrenheit for some strange reason).

Anyone who has taken grade school or middle school science classes should be familiar with Celsius, regardless of where they are from.

[featuringfranklin]

I think it is shameful for people to blow off the many viewers who haven't had the benefit of being properly taught Celsius. Nobody has to watch this video.

[helminthes]

god is smart