Exploring the Science of Snowflakes

What is a snow crystal?

• A single piece of ice with a six-sided shape

• A frozen raindrop

• A type of flower

• A rain cloud

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How do snow crystals form?

• By freezing raindrops

• By water vapor turning directly into ice

• By melting ice

• By freezing water on the ground

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NGSS.MS-PS1-4

Why do snow crystals have six arms?

• Because of the way water molecules are arranged

• Because of the wind

• Because of the temperature on the ground

• Because of the color of the sky

What is the main difference between a snowflake and a snow crystal?

• A snowflake is always larger

• A snowflake can be a collection of snow crystals

• A snow crystal is always warmer

• A snowflake is a type of rain

What causes the branches of a snow crystal to grow differently?

• The path it takes through the clouds

• The color of the snow

• The time of day

• The type of tree it lands on

Why are no two snow crystals exactly alike?

• They all follow different paths through the clouds

• They are made of different materials

• They are all the same

• They are affected by sunlight

Explain why most snow crystals are not perfectly symmetrical.

• Because they grow in different conditions

• Because they are made of different materials

• Because they are all the same

• Because they are affected by sunlight

What role does humidity play in the growth of snow crystals?

• High humidity leads to more complex, branched crystals

• Low humidity makes crystals melt

• Humidity has no effect

• High humidity makes crystals smaller

Describe the process of faceting in snow crystal growth.

• It creates flat surfaces on the crystal

• It melts the crystal

• It changes the color of the crystal

• It makes the crystal disappear

How does the process of branching affect snow crystal shapes?

• It causes complex shapes to grow out from the ice

• It makes the crystal melt

• It changes the color of the crystal

• It makes the crystal disappear