Snow forms around small particles, often biological in origin. 85% of these particles are airborne bacteria with dust particles making up the remainder. The ice crystals form around these nuclei and usually form six lines of symmetry (the natural crystal structure when ice is formed). In turn, these crystals join together to form a snowflake. While individual ice crystals are clear, they appear white because of the amount of light they reflect. So why do all six arms of the snowflake appear identical? Well, actually, they are not exactly identical. While surface tension specific to each flake may be a factor to their similarity, the unique environment where each snowflake is created may cause the arms to form in a similar fashion.
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