what makes snow white

[plugwash]

snow is white for the same reason other crushed transparent materials look white. you have a transparent material but it's in a load of tiny peices which all refracting and scatter the light in different ways.

So when light hits snow it gets scattered repeatedly and a significant proportion of the light ends up coming back out in random directions. the affect is thus similar to a white surface (which reflects the light in random directions).

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

and thought it was Walt Disney

 

[BOB D.O.L.E]

and why do snow flakes crystallize why the odd shapes

 

[wotan]

and why do snow flakes crystallize why the odd shapes

They are not odd shapes, every one of them is based on the six sided figure the hexagon.

Wotan

 

[RedHerring]

and why do snow flakes crystallize why the odd shapes

They are not odd shapes, every one of them is based on the six sided figure the hexagon.

Wotan

You sure about that?
http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/class/class.htm

 

[wotan]

Redherring wrote..

You sure about that?

In the main yes, but there will always be variations, they do appear to be based on hexagon.

Wotan

 

[RedHerring]

and why do snow flakes crystallize why the odd shapes

They are not odd shapes, every one of them is based on the six sided figure the hexagon.

Wotan

Redherring wrote..

You sure about that?

In the main yes, but there will always be variations, they do appear to be based on hexagon.

Wotan

Yeah, seems reasonable to me.