Snowflake Chemistry - Common Questions

Snowflake Chemistry - Common Questions Have you ever looked at a snowflake and wondered how it formed or why it looks different from other snow you might have seen? Snowflakes are a particular form of water ice. Snowflakes form in clouds, which consist of water vapor. When the temperature is 32 ° F (0 ° C) or colder, water changes from its liquid form into ice. Several factors affect snowflake formation. Temperature, air currents, and humidity all influence shape and size. Dirt and dust particles can get mixed up in the water and affect crystal weight and durability. The dirt particles make the snowflake heavier  and can cause cracks and breaks in the crystal and make it easier to melt. Snowflake formation is a dynamic process. A snowflake may encounter many different environmental conditions, sometimes melting it, sometimes causing growth, always changing its structure. Key Takeaways: Snowflake Questions Snowflakes are water crystals that fall as precipitation when its cold outside. However, sometimes snow falls when its slightly above the freezing point of water and other times freezing rain falls when the temperature is below freezing.Snowflakes come in a variety of shapes. The shape depends on the temperature.Two snowflakes can look identical to the naked eye, but they will be different on the molecular level.Snow looks white because the flakes scatter light. In dim light, snow appears pale blue, which is the color of a large volume of water. What Are Common Snowflake Shapes? Generally, six-sided hexagonal crystals are shaped in high clouds; needles or flat six-sided crystals are shaped in middle height clouds, and a wide variety of six-sided shapes are formed in low clouds. Colder temperatures produce snowflakes with sharper tips on the sides of the crystals and may lead to branching of the snowflake arms (dendrites). Snowflakes that grow under warmer conditions grow more slowly, resulting in smoother, less intricate shapes. 32-25 ° F - Thin hexagonal plates25-21 ° F - Needles21-14 ° F - Hollow columns14-10 ° F - Sector plates (hexagons with indentations)10-3 ° F - Dendrites (lacy hexagonal shapes) The shape of a snowflake depends on the temperature at which it formed. 221A / Getty Images Why Are Snowflakes Symmetrical (Same on All Sides)? First, not all snowflakes are the same on all sides. Uneven temperatures, presence of dirt, and other factors may cause a snowflake to be lop-sided. Yet it is true that many snowflakes are symmetrical and intricate. This is because a snowflakes shape reflects the internal order of the water molecules. Water molecules in the solid state, such as in ice and snow, form weak bonds (called hydrogen bonds) with one another. These ordered arrangements result in the symmetrical, hexagonal shape of the snowflake. During crystallization, the water molecules align themselves to maximize attractive forces and minimize repulsive forces. Consequently, water molecules arrange themselves in predetermined spaces and in a specific arrangement. Water molecules simply arrange themselves to fit the spaces and maintain symmetry. Is It True that No Two Snowflakes Are Identical? Yes and no. No two snowflakes are exactly identical, down to the precise number of water molecules, spin of electrons, isotope abundance of hydrogen and oxygen, etc. On the other hand, it is possible for two snowflakes to look exactly alike and any given snowflake probably has had a good match at some point in history. Since so many factors affect the structure of a snowflake and since a snowflakes structure is constantly changing in response to environmental conditions, it is improbable that anyone would see two identical snowflakes. If Water and Ice Are Clear, then Why Does Snow Look White? The short answer is that snowflakes have so many light-reflecting surfaces they scatter the light into all of its colors, so snow appears white. The longer answer has to do with the way the human eye perceives color. Even though the light source might not be truly white light (e.g., sunlight, fluorescent, and incandescent all have a particular color), the human brain compensates for a light source. Thus, even though sunlight is yellow and scattered light from snow is yellow, the brain sees snow as white because the whole picture received by the brain has a yellow tint that is automatically subtracted. Sources Bailey, M.; John Hallett, J. (2004). Growth rates and habits of ice crystals between −20 and −70C. Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences. 61 (5): 514–544. doi:10.1175/1520-0469(2004)0610514:GRAHOI2.0.CO;2 Klesius, M. (2007). The Mystery of Snowflakes. National Geographic. 211 (1): 20. ISSN 0027-9358 Knight, C.; Knight, N. (1973). Snow Crystals. Scientific American, vol. 228, no. 1, pp. 100-107. Smalley, I.J. Symmetry of Snow Crystals. Nature 198, Springer Nature Publishing AG, June 15, 1963.

Funny Female Monologue From How to Kiss a Girl

Funny Female Monologue From 'How to Kiss a Girl' The following monologue is from a one-act comedy How to Kiss a Girl by Wade Bradford. This one-act play is  a silly, sketch-styled play about a young man named Ken who desperately wants to know how to behave on a date, and even more desperately wants to figure out how and when he should make his move and kiss a girl for the very first time. Monologue Background In order to learn, he enlists the help of his highly advanced smartphone, Minerva. The Minerva device downloads tons of audio instructional information, crafted from centuries of information. not all of the advice, however, is useful to todays typical teen. Unfortunately, Ken is too clueless to realize, and he ends up downloading relationship advice from the 1950s, pre-Civil War America, and even Pilgrims and Pirates. Belle is one of the Audio Advice characters, and while Kens date is wolfing down her spaghetti and slurping ice tea like its going out of style, the refined Southern Belle teaches Ken how to read subtle signs from a proper lady. Much of this monologue involves the old fashioned art of fan language, so the actress performing the art should have an elegant fan to flutter during her scene. The Monologue BELLE: When you arrive at her doorstep, be prepared for a grand entrance. Stand courteously at the doorway, breathlessly awaiting her presence. Drink her in. You are mesmerized. Walk in a half circle around her, never breaking your gaze. And still breathless. Place your left hand behind your back, lift your hat with your right hand, and bow. (Pause.) And now you may breathe. Make certain that you have already prepared a charming compliment, do so in advance to avoid being tongue-tied. Tell her she looks as plump and pretty as a sweet Georgia peach. As radiant and glorious as the days before the civil war. That she makes your heart fire faster than a Gatling Gun. Begin your romantic adventure by extending your elbow so that the lady might take your arm. As you escort her to the carriage, be mindful of any mud puddles that may happen to be in your path. Instead of walking around the watery obstacle, remove your jacket, drape it to the ground, and insist that this lovely plump peach wal k upon the jacket as not to soil her pretty shoes. That is chivalry. As you ride together in the carriage, you might be wondering as to what is going through the mind of this delicate young flower. You may be tempted to talk of idle things, such as the weather, but I find it best if a gentleman sticks to the subject at hand, which is mainly the beauty of the young lady in his midst. This time, select a specific physical feature to complement. Preferably, something above her neckline. I suggest you compliment her eyes, lips, chin, and even perhaps her earlobes if you are feeling particularly bold this evening. Avoid making comments about a womans nose. Even kind words will make her self conscious. But you will notice, as the carriage ride continues, the lady speaks very little, yet she says much. (Produces a fan.) To discover the secrets of her feminine mind, simply observe the subtle signals she gives you with the movements of her fan. If the lady holds the fan with her left hand and places it in front of her face, then she is desir ous of your acquaintance. However, if she twirls her fan in her right hand, like so, then she wants to speak with you in private. Dropping the fan curtly means she simply wants to be friends, but if she presents her fan to you, shut closed thusly, she is asking: Do you love me? Now, this one is most important, so I hope you are paying attention. If the lovely lady presses a half-opened fan to her lips, that means, young man, that she wants to kiss you. Now, watch her closely: What message is she trying to convey to you? Note: This monologue could obviously be performed by one person. However, it could be further developed with a total of three performers. One actress delivering the monologue, while two other performers act out the scene being described.