The site for schoolchildren and their parents, Zateevo.ru, found out that there are no identical snowflakes!
S N E G I N K I
ON THE
PHOTOS BY YAROSLAV HNATYUK!
There is nothing more weightless than tiny snowflakes. Will fall on your hand, you won't feel it!
They weigh about a milligram, rarely 2 ... 3 milligrams.
People rarely look at snowflakes, and you can't find two completely identical snowflakes. The best collections of photomicrographs contain more than 5 thousand pictures of snowflakes that are different from each other.
ZATEEVO presents a collection of snowflakes by the Ukrainian photographer Yaroslav Yuryevich Hnatyuk. Yaroslav Hnatyuk lives and works in Dnepropetrovsk, his work is related to banking payment systems, and photomicrography is a hobby. But his photographs are so professional that this year he became the winner of the Yandex photo contest.
Why are all snowflakes so different?
At first, all the buds of snowflakes look like tiny hexagonal prisms. Then, from the six corners of the prism, completely identical ice needles - lateral processes - begin to grow. The same needles because the temperature and humidity around the embryo are also the same. On them, in turn, grow, like on a tree, lateral processes - twigs. The snowflake begins to grow rapidly in size. In this case, the bulging areas of the snowflake grow faster. So, from the originally hexagonal plate, a six-rayed asterisk grows. Moving up and down in the cloud, the snowflake gets into conditions with different temperatures and water vapor content. Its shape is changing. This is how the snowflakes become different. Although in the same cloud at the same height, they can "originate" the same. Each snowflake has its own path to the ground. This means that each has its own final form. Snowflakes fall at a speed of about 15 meters per minute. They are almost unconnected, and even a slight wind of 2 meters per second sets them in motion. In the air, the shape of snowflakes is constantly changing. Many factors affect the formation and growth of snowflakes.
The ice that forms the snowflake is transparent. But when there are many snowflakes, then sunlight reflecting and scattering on the numerous faces of the snowflakes, gives us the impression of a white opaque mass - we call it snow. Colliding on its way with supercooled small droplets of water, the snowflake is simplified in shape. When faced with a large drop, it can turn into a hailstone. In different places "own" snow falls, depending on weather conditions.
It is known that in the spring of 1944 snow flakes of up to 10 centimeters in size fell in Moscow. Snow flakes up to 30 centimeters were observed in Siberia. Necessary condition for this - complete calmness. Snowflakes whirl in the air for a long time, rising and falling, traveling for a long time, colliding and grappling with each other. The slightest breeze breaks such flakes into separate pieces. In low temperatures and strong winds, snowflakes collide in the air, crumble and fall to the ground in the form of debris.
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Table of contents.
Introduction.
Chapter 1.
1.1 Origin of snowflakes
1.2 Are snowflakes the same?
Chapter 2. My experiments.
Chapter 3 Interesting facts about snowflakes.
4. Conclusion.
5. Sources used.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY:
explore snowflakes as an amazing natural phenomenon.
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES :
observing snowflakes in nature;
studying the formation of snowflakes;
identification of a variety of shapes of snowflakes;
experimentally observe the formation of snowflakes;
reveal students' knowledge of snowflakes.
HYPOTHESIS.
If water is formed when the snowflakes melt, then the snowflakes emerge from the water.
If there are so many snowflakes, then there must be a large number of identical snowflakes in nature.
SUBJECT OF STUDY.
snowflakes
snow
RELEVANCE OF THE TOPIC. Each Small child very curious and everyone is interested in what, where, how ...?
RESEARCH METHODS:
1. Study of literature about snowflakes.
2. Photographing snowflakes.
3. Conducting experiments.
4. Analysis of the work done.
Research time:January February2017 year.
Introduction.
I'll start with a touching, gentle and mesmerizing poem about a snowflake.
Snowflake.
Light fluffy, white snowflake,
How pure, how bold!
Dear stormy easily sweeps,
Not to the azure heights - asks to land.
In the rays of the shining skilful glides
Preserved white among the melting flakes.
But here the long road ends,
A crystal star touches the earth.
Lies a fluffy snowflake bold
How clean, how white!
(Constantin Balmont)
Chapter 1.
1.1 Origin of snowflakes
Snow lies. Snowflakes are flying. What is unusual here? It's just winter. And yet, this is another miracle of nature that this wonderful world! Incredible beauty, isn't it? That's really really - amazing around us. So, when there is snow or snowflakes are flying, we are watching not just the phenomenon of winter on earth, but a real miracle of nature, worthy of study.
A snowflake is a complex symmetrical structure consisting of ice crystals. Snow is formed when microscopic water droplets in clouds are attracted to dust particles and freeze. The resulting ice crystals fall down and grow as a result of moisture condensation from the air on them. In this case, six-pointed crystalline forms are formed. And the snowflake is sent to the ground with a six-pointed star. But they reach the ground in the form of snow only if the temperature is below zero. If the temperature is higher, the snowflakes evaporate and turn into water vapor, which rises up again. Or, these crystals melt and fall to the ground in the form of rain or grains. And sometimes it happens that on the roof high-rise building it is snowing, and it is already raining outside.
The type of snowflakes depends on the water content in the cloud where it originated, the air temperature, and the height above sea level. Even if two were "born" identical snowflakes, they have to travel to the ground at a speed of about 1 km. at one o'clock. They fall into different temperature conditions and reach the ground with a completely different pattern, but always of a hexagonal shape. Scientists have been able to identify several basic forms of snowflakes. They were even given names:
star,
plate,
column,
needle,
fluff,
hedgehog,
stud.
The shape of the snowflakes depends on the weather.
On a windless frosty day, snowflakes fall slowly. They are large, shiny, like stars. Snowflakes fall one at a time, so it's easy to see them.
In mild frost, snowflakes look like snow balls - "snow pellets". And when the wind is strong, there is "snow dust", as the wind breaks off the rays and edges of the snowflakes.
When there is no frost, falling to the ground, snowflakes stick to each other and form "snowflakes". They are large and resemble pieces of cotton wool. "
Each snowflake is as unique as a fingerprint or human DNA. There are no identical snowflakes, just as there are no identical leaves on trees, identical raindrops, identical people.
But if a snowflake is a crystal, then why is it white, should it be transparent? This is thanks to the air (95%) contained in it! Light is reflected on surfaces between crystals and in the air and scattered. Thanks to the air, the snowflakes are very light. Even during very heavy snow drifts, people or animals can breathe under the snow for a long time.
1.2. Are there the same snowflakes?
Are there two identical snowflakes? Not! Farmer Wilson Bentley proved this in his works in 1885, and he managed to take the first photograph of a snowflake under a microscope. And it took him 46 years for this!
Since childhood, he studied the shape of crystals falling from the sky, for which he received the nickname "Snowflake". Wilson devoted his entire life to the study of snowflakes, in total he took 5,000 pictures, and none of them showed repetitive snowflakes.
One of the first scientists to think about the structure of snow was the German mathematician and astronomer Johannes Kepler (1571-1630). In 1611 he published a short treatise “ New Year's gift, or about hexagonal snowflakes ", which can be called the first scientific work dedicated to snowflakes.
Chapter 2. Research.
I always thought that if water forms after the snow melts, then after freezing the water droplets will turn into snowflakes.
Experiment 1.
I froze the water droplets, but the snowflakes did not work.Which means , snow does not appear from water droplets. Water droplets can become hailstones, lumps of ice, but not snowflakes..
Experiment 2.
In the snow, I went outside, put my mitten under the snow. Several snowflakes fell on her. I began to examine them through a magnifying glass.
WITH nezhinki can be clearly seen only when they fall on the palm. Under the influence of some even small force, they break, which means that the snowflakes are very fragile.
I interviewed 40 elementary school students.
Based on interview results
35 out of 40 children say that a snowflake is made of water;
30 out of 40 children say that there are identical snowflakes;
Since I really like snowflakes, I learned how to cut them out of paper, decorate and draw.
On the New Year I had a snowflake costume:
And also, my parents and I recalled how I built a house from the details of the designer. I took small parts, but the building turned out to be large. Nature also knows how to build. But she does not build houses, but snowflakes from an unusual ice constructor - from tiny pieces of ice!
Chapter 3. Interesting about snowflakes.
During a snowfall in 1987 in Fort Coe (Montana, USA), a world record-breaking snowflake with a diameter of 38 cm was found.
More than half of the population the globe never seen snow, except in photographs.
In the Far North, the snow is so hard that the ax, when it hits it, rings like a blow to iron.
In Japan, scientists call snowflakes letters from heaven, which are written in secret hieroglyphs.
Conclusion.
Working on the theme, I achieved my goal and learned a lot about snowflakes. In the process of studying and researching, I solved the tasks set by me. Unfortunately, my hypotheses were not confirmed. In the process of working on the project, I learned that snowflakes are never alike. I also learned that they appear from diamond dust, they always have a center, are symmetrical and hexagonal.
Used sources:
Are the snowflakes the same, or What is hidden in the frozen water? - Access mode:http://shkolazhizni.ru/archive/0/n-33171/
Poems about snow and snowflakes. - Access mode:http://www.razumniki.ru/stihi_ro_sneg_i_sneginki.html
Design work DO THE SNOWFLAKES ARE THE SAME Completed by: Makar Zhikharev, 3rd grade, lyceum No. 179, St. Petersburg. Head: S.V. Agafonova
During a snowfall, we rarely think that ordinary snowflakes can demonstrate the amazing complexity of the structure, correctness and variety of shapes. This is clearly visible even with the naked eye, but if we look at the snowflakes through a microscope, we will discover new and very surprising details.
PLAN PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH: to study snowflakes as an amazing natural phenomenon. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES: observation of snowflakes in nature; studying the formation of snowflakes; identification of the variety of forms of snowflakes, the reasons for the squeak of snow; experimentally observe the formation of snowflakes; reveal student knowledge about snowflakes;
HIPPOTHESIS If water is formed when snowflakes melt, snowflakes emerge from the water. If there are so many snowflakes, then there must be a large number of identical snowflakes in nature.
Research subject SNOWFLAKES SNOW
What is SNOWFLAKE A snowflake is a complex symmetrical structure consisting of ice crystals. Snow is formed when microscopic water droplets in clouds are attracted to dust particles and freeze. The resulting ice crystals fall down and grow as a result of moisture condensation from the air on them. In this case, six-pointed crystalline forms are formed. And the snowflake is sent to the ground with a six-pointed star. ;
STUDYING SNOWFLAKES Wilson A. Bentley Professor Libbrecht
EXPLORING SNOWFLAKES
EXPERIMENT 1 I froze the water droplets, but the snowflakes did not work. This means that snow does not appear from water droplets. Water droplets can become hailstones, lumps of ice, but not snowflakes.
EXPERIMENT 2 In the snow, I went outside, put my mitten under the snow. Several snowflakes fell on her. I began to examine them through a magnifying glass. From nezhinka you can clearly see only when they fall on the palm. Under the influence of some even small force, they break, which means that the snowflakes are very fragile.
What are snowflakes
Interview I interviewed 25 students of the 3rd grade of school no. 619, where my friend is studying. According to the interview results, 20 out of 25 children say that a snowflake is made of water; - 24 out of 25 children say that there are identical snowflakes;
THE MYTH OF SAME SNOWFLAKES
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT snowflakes
CONCLUSIONS Working on the topic, I achieved my goal and learned a lot about snowflakes. In the process of studying and researching, I solved the tasks set by me. Unfortunately, my hypotheses were not confirmed. For that, we now know exactly how snowflakes form and what they are.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!!!
Have you ever heard the phrase "this snowflake is special", they say, because there are usually a lot of them and they are all beautiful, unique and mesmerizing if you look closely. Old wisdom says that no two snowflakes are alike, but is that really true? How can you even say this without looking at all the falling and falling snowflakes? Suddenly a snowflake somewhere in Moscow is no different from a snowflake somewhere in the Alps.
To consider this question scientifically, we need to know how a snowflake is born and what the probability (or improbability) is that two of the same will be born.
Snowflake taken with a conventional optical microscope
A snowflake, in essence, is just water molecules that bind together in a certain solid configuration. Most of these configurations have some sort of hexagonal symmetry; it has to do with how water molecules, with their specific bond angles - which are determined by the physics of an oxygen atom, two hydrogen atoms, and electromagnetic force - can bond together. The simplest microscopic snow crystal that can be viewed under a microscope is one millionth of a meter (1 micron) in size and can be very simple in shape, for example, a hexagonal crystal plate. Its width is about 10,000 atoms, and there are a lot of similar ones.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Nancy Knight of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, by sheer coincidence, discovered two identical snowflakes while studying snow crystals during a blizzard in Wisconsin, taking a microscope with her. But when representatives certify two snowflakes as identical, they can only imply that the snowflakes are identical for microscope accuracy; when physics requires two things to be identical, they must be identical to within a subatomic particle. This means:
- you need the same particles,
- in the same configurations,
- with the same connections
- in two completely different macroscopic systems.
Let's see how this can be arranged.
One water molecule is one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms bonded together. When frozen water molecules bind to each other, each molecule gains four other bound molecules nearby: one at each of the tetrahedral vertices above each individual molecule. This leads to the fact that water molecules fold into a lattice shape: a hexagonal (or hexagonal) crystal lattice. But large "cubes" of ice, as in quartz deposits, are extremely rare. When you look at the smallest scales and configurations, you find that the top and bottom planes of this lattice are packed and connected very tightly: you have “flat edges” on two sides. The molecules on the remaining sides are more open, and additional water molecules bind to them more randomly. In particular, hexahedral corners have the weakest bonds, so we observe sixfold symmetry in crystal growth.
New structures then grow in the same symmetrical patterns, increasing hexagonal asymmetries when they reach a certain size. Large, complex snow crystals contain hundreds of easily distinguishable features when viewed under a microscope. Hundreds of features among the roughly 1,019 water molecules that make up a typical snowflake, according to Charles Knight of the National Center for Atmospheric Research. For each of these functions, there are millions of possible places where new branches can form. How many such new features can a snowflake form without becoming one of many?
Every year around the world, approximately 1,015 (quadrillion) cubic meters of snow falls to the ground, and each cubic meter contains on the order of several billion (109) individual snowflakes. Since the Earth has existed for about 4.5 billion years, 1034 snowflakes have fallen on the planet throughout history. And do you know how many, in terms of statistics, separate, unique, symmetric branching features could a snowflake have and expect a double at a certain moment in the history of the Earth? Only five. Whereas real, large, natural snowflakes usually have hundreds of them.
Even at the level of one millimeter in a snowflake, you can see imperfections that are difficult to duplicate.
And only at the most mundane level can you mistakenly see two identical snowflakes. And if you are ready to go down to the molecular level, the situation will get much worse. Usually, oxygen has 8 protons and 8 neutrons, and a hydrogen atom has 1 proton and 0 neutrons. But 1 out of 500 oxygen atoms has 10 neutrons, in 1 out of 5000 hydrogen atoms it has 1 neutron, not 0. Even if you form perfect hexagonal snow crystals, and in the entire history of planet Earth, you have counted 1034 snow crystals, it will be enough to descend to the size of several thousands of molecules (less than the length of visible light) to find a unique structure the planet has never seen before.
But if you ignore the atomic and molecular differences and abandon the "natural", you have a chance. Snowflake researcher Kenneth Libbrecht of the California Institute of Technology has developed a technique to create artificial "identical twins" of snowflakes and photograph them using a special microscope called the SnowMaster 9000.
Nevertheless, many snowflakes are similar to one another. But if you are looking for truly identical snowflakes at a structural, molecular or atomic level, nature will never give you this. This number of possibilities is great not only for the history of the Earth, but also for the history of the Universe. If you want to know how many planets you need to get two identical snowflakes in 13.8 billion years of the history of the Universe, the answer would be on the order of 1.01 billion. So yes, snowflakes are really unique. And that's to put it mildly.
- Translation
Snowflakes different forms and sizes that appeared in natural environment... Photo from Popular Science Monthly Volume # 53, 1898.
You may have heard the saying about "special snowflake". We are talking about the fact that snowflakes are beautiful and valuable to those, since in a huge number of them you cannot find two identical ones. They say that there are no two identical snowflakes - but is it really so? It is worth turning to what science thinks about this - this is exactly what one of our readers asks us:
I've heard scientists say that no two snowflakes are alike. And I will say: how can this be known for sure, unless you study all the snowflakes that have fallen to the ground? Maybe somewhere in Russia a snowflake falls simultaneously with an identical snowflake somewhere in Minnesota.
To look at this scientifically, you need to understand how a snowflake is made and how likely it is to get two identical snowflakes.
Snowflake under an optical microscope
A snowflake is water molecules bound together in a certain solid configuration. Most of them have hexagonal symmetry; this is due to the angle at which water molecules are able to bind to each other. This angle is determined by the physics of an oxygen atom, two hydrogen atoms, and electromagnetic interaction. The simplest microscopic snow crystal that can be seen with an optical microscope is one millionth of a meter (1 micron) in size and can take quite simple forms- for example, a flat hexagon. It contains only about 10,000 atoms, and among them you can find many of the same.
The hexagonal symmetry of snowflakes has been known for a long time. This collection of photographs dates from 1902.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Nancy Knight, a scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, was fortunate enough to find two identical snowflakes while examining snow crystals from a blizzard in Wisconsin in 1988 using a microscope. But Guinness issues a certificate only on the basis of the identity of the snowflakes, taking into account the accuracy available to the microscope. When physics demands the identity of two objects, it means identity down to subatomic particles! This means:
It is necessary that such particles
formed exactly in such a configuration
with the same connections between them
in two different macroscopic systems.
Let's examine what it would take to do this.
One water molecule is one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms bonded together. When the frozen water molecules bind together, four other molecules are bound to each of them: one at each of the vertices of the tetrahedron centered on that molecule. As a result, water molecules are packed into a lattice - a hexagonal crystal lattice... But large prismatic "cubes" of ice, such as can be seen in quartz deposits, are extremely rare. Moving from the smallest scales and configurations to the upper level, you will see that the upper and lower surfaces of this lattice are very densely packed and connected to each other - there are flat faces on both sides. Conversely, individual molecules are visible on the remaining faces, and new water molecules bind to them in a more random order. At the corners of the hexagon, the bonds are the weakest; therefore, hexagonal symmetry appears in the growing crystals.
Formation and growth of a snow crystal, video fragment
Then the newly formed structures grow according to this symmetrical pattern, maintaining the hexagonal asymmetry upon reaching a certain size. Hundreds of visible features can be found in large and complex snow crystals through a microscope. You can see hundreds distinctive features, and about 10 19 water molecules making up a typical snowflake, according to Charles Knight of the National Center for Atmospheric Research. And for each of these features, there are millions suitable places in which new processes can form. So how many of these new features can a snowflake form and still be identical to some other?
Full video
Every year, about 3 * 10 13 cubic meters of snow fall on the ground, and each cubic meter contains about 3 * 10 10 snowflakes. Since the Earth has existed for about 4.5 billion years, in its entire history about 10 34 snowflakes have fallen on it. From a statistical point of view, the number of separate unique symmetrically branching features of a snowflake that it could afford to have an identical twin throughout the history of the Earth is five. Moreover, real, fully grown natural snowflakes have hundreds of such features.
Even on a millimeter scale on a snowflake, you can see many imperfections that make it difficult to reproduce another, exactly the same snowflake.
Two identical snowflakes will actually be found only if we consider the smallest crystals on initial stages growth. And if you go down to the molecular level, the situation becomes even worse. Usually oxygen has 8 protons and 8 neutrons, and hydrogen has 1 proton and 0 neutrons. However, about one in 500 oxygen atoms has 10 neutrons, and one in 5000 hydrogen atoms has 1 neutron, not 0.With such numbers, even if you create a perfect hexagonal snow crystal, and get to the number of crystals that fell to the ground in the whole story - 10 34, you will only need to grow to a size of several thousand molecules, that is, to a snowflake of 0.01 microns (this is less than the wavelength of visible light), in order to get a unique structure that the world has not yet seen.
When studying a hexagonal snow crystal with a rim under an electron microscope, you can see how many subtle and varied imperfections it has that cannot be reproduced at the molecular level.
But if you want to ignore the atomic and molecular differences and use artificial snowflakes, you have a chance. Snowflake researcher Kenneth Libbrecht of Caltech has developed a technology to create artificial identical snowflakes and photograph them using a special microscope, which he calls the SnowMaster 9000.
By growing snowflakes side by side in certain laboratory conditions, he showed that it is possible to create two snowflakes that are indistinguishable from each other.
Or something like that. They are indistinguishable to a person looking through a microscope - but in reality they are different. Like identical twins, they have many differences: different places of molecular bonds, slightly different branches, and the larger they are, the better these differences are visible. That is why these snowflakes are made small, and the microscope is taken powerful: the simpler the snowflakes, the less differences between them.
However, many snowflakes look alike. But if you look for actually identical snowflakes, at a structural, molecular or atomic level, then nature will never give you this. The number of possibilities is too great not only for the history of the Earth, but also for the history of the Universe. If we calculate how many Earth planets we need in order for us to have a chance to find two identical snowflakes for the entire 13.8 billion years of the existence of the Universe, then we get a number of the order of 10 10,000,000,000,000,000,000. And since there are only 10 80 atoms in the observable universe, this is highly unlikely. So it looks like all snowflakes are truly unique.
