The Chemistry of Snowflakes

As the new year kicks off, we see snowstorms around the country. The beautiful snowflakes you see falling from the sky are of course, thanks to chemistry.

Nucleation causes a snowflake to form, when water molecules gather around dust or pollen to create an ice crystal. As it falls, more water molecules attach, causing the snowflake to grow.

They then arrange into a lattice of hexagonal rings, creating the beautiful shapes we know and love. Because of their composure, snowflakes can only have 6 or 12 sides.

Each snowflake’s unique shape is influenced by temperature, humidity, and water molecule concentration in the air.

This winter, get outside and see some snowflakes form as they fall from the sky!