How is snow formed in the sky and what shape does it take?

Water vapor condensation, or solidification of small water droplets.

Snowflakes are mostly hexagonal, the reason why there are many patterns, is because the molecules of ice are hexagonal for the most, for hexagonal flake ice crystals, due to the different curvature on its surface, edge and corner, it has different saturated water vapor pressure correspondingly, wherein the saturated water vapor pressure on the corner is the largest, the edge is second, and the plane is the smallest.

In the case of the same actual water vapor pressure, the condensation growth of ice crystals is also different due to the different saturated water vapor pressures of each part. For example, when the actual water vapor pressure is only greater than the saturated water vapor pressure of the plane, the water vapor only condenses on the surface, forming columnar snowflakes. When the actual water vapor pressure is greater than the saturated water vapor pressure on the edge, condensation will occur on the edge and on the surface.

Because the speed of condensation is also related to the curvature, the condensation is faster in places with large curvature, so the condensation on the edge of the ice crystal is faster than on the surface, and more flakes are formed. When the actual water vapor pressure is greater than the saturated water vapor pressure on the corner, although there are water vapor condensation on the surface, edge, and corner, the position at the sharp corner is prominent.

Water vapor ** is the most sufficient, and condensation grows the fastest, so it mostly forms dendritic or star-shaped snowflakes. In addition, the constant movement of ice crystals and the changing temperature and humidity conditions in which they are exposed to them can cause the various parts of the ice crystals to grow at different rates, resulting in a wide variety of snowflakes.

Principle of formation. Ice clouds are made up of tiny ice crystals. When these Xiaoice crystals collide with each other, the surface of the ice crystals will heat up and melt somewhat, and they will stick to each other and freeze again. This is repeated many times, and the ice crystals increase.

In addition, there is also water vapor in the clouds, so the ice crystals can continue to grow by condensation. However, ice clouds are generally very high and not thick, where there is not much water vapor, and the growth of condensation is very slow, and there are not many opportunities for collisions with each other, so they cannot grow to a large size and form precipitation. Even if precipitation is caused, it tends to evaporate on the way down and rarely reaches the ground.

The most conducive to cloud growth is hybrid cloud. Hybrid clouds are made up of Xiaoice crystals and supercooled water droplets. While a cloud of air is said to be saturated with ice crystals, it is not yet saturated with water droplets.

At this time, the water vapor in the cloud condenses on the surface of the ice crystals, while the supercooled water droplets are evaporating, and the ice crystals "adsorb" water vapor from the supercooled water droplets.

In this case, the ice crystals grow quickly. In addition, supercooled water is very unstable. As soon as you touch it, it freezes.

Therefore, in a hybrid cloud, when supercooled water droplets collide with ice crystals, they freeze and stick to the surface of the ice crystals, causing them to grow rapidly. When the Xiaoice crystals grow large enough to overcome the resistance and buoyancy of the air, they fall to the ground, which is called snowflakes.

Two shapes: 1. One is hexagonal, long and thin, called column crystal, but sometimes the two ends are pointed, like a needle, called needle crystal.

2. The other is a hexagonal flake, like a thin slice cut from a hexagonal pencil, called a flake crystal. There are so many shapes of snowflakes that each snowflake is an extremely delicate pattern that even many artists have admired.

The variety of snowflake shapes is closely related to the water vapor conditions at the time of its formation. For hexagonal flake ice crystals, they have different saturated water vapor pressures due to the different degrees of bending on their faces, edges, and corners.

The saturated water vapor pressure is the highest at the corner, followed by the upper edge, and the smallest on the plane.

How snow is formed:

Snow has a lot to do with clouds, which are made up of many small water droplets and Xiaoice crystals. Among them, there are water clouds (mainly small water droplets), ice clouds (mainly Xiaoice crystals), and mixed clouds.

small water droplets and Xiaoice crystals).

It is a mixed cloud that forms snow. Hybrid clouds are made up of small water droplets and crystals, in addition to water vapor and conglosation nuclei (particles that absorb water well). When the water vapor in the air reaches saturation and the temperature drops to a certain temperature, the ice crystals "adsorb" the water vapor from the cooling water droplets, and the excess water vapor in the air continuously turns into ice crystals under the action of condensation nuclei.

Xiaoice crystals collide and condense into large ice crystals, and under the condition of constant temperature or temperature drop, the ice crystals in the mixed cloud continue to increase until the ice crystals themselves weigh and can overcome air resistance.

and buoyancy, it will fall to the ground, which is called snow.

Summary. The goose feathers and snow are falling from the sky, and they are like thousands of pear blossoms scattered by fairies, rushing to fall down, and dancing all kinds of dances.

What does snow look like on a snowy day?

The goose feathers and snow are falling from the sky, and they are like thousands of pear blossoms scattered by fairies, rushing to fall down, and dancing all kinds of dances.

Snowflakes are falling like feathers. Like little angels coming to the world.

I hope it can help you, and I wish you a happy life!