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------- ------------ ---------- sideline (3 segments)<br />

------- ----- - ----------- --------- sideline<br />

--------------------------------------------------- sideline<br />

Radial axis --------------------------------------------------------------- one of six arms<br />

---------------------------------------------------<br />

------- ----- - ----------- ---------<br />

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----- --------------<br />

We know that <strong>the</strong> most common form of ice is a tetrahedral structure. Idealized hexagonal rings<br />

are found within <strong>the</strong> tetrahedral form. Close examination of <strong>the</strong> b<strong>as</strong>al pl<strong>an</strong>e of <strong>an</strong> ice crystal<br />

reveals it is composed of a tiling of hexagonal plates each with a diameter of 5.5 <strong>an</strong>gstroms, 4.5<br />

<strong>an</strong>gstroms across <strong>the</strong> tiling diameter or minor chord <strong>an</strong>d 2.75 <strong>an</strong>gstroms between adjacent oxygen<br />

atoms. (1)(5)<br />

Using a simple idealized hexagonal ice crystal <strong>as</strong> a building block, we c<strong>an</strong> approximate how<br />

m<strong>an</strong>y such blocks or hexagonal tiles must accumulate to form a single axis arm of a snowflake.<br />

Ordinary snowflakes vary in size from 0.05 cm. to 1.8 cm. in diameter. A re<strong>as</strong>onable midr<strong>an</strong>ge<br />

value for <strong>the</strong> average radius of a snowflake is 0.66 cm. Thus, a radius axis of <strong>an</strong> average<br />

snowflake is<br />

285

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