Hydrogen bonding and the forming of a snowflake

Water molecules are polar molecules, the electronegative  oxygen with two pairs of lone electrons providing a ‘slightly’ negative charge that acts with the ‘slightly’ positive hydrogen atoms to form the incredibly important hydrogen bonds, as illustrated here.

It is the dipolarity of water molecules that give rise to the cohesive, adhesive, thermal and solvent properties that you need to learn [Topic 2.2 Water]

The video provides a little seasonal focus to the nature of a water molecule and illustrates how its chemical properties give rise to the six sided shape of a typical snowflake. The process begins when a tiny dust or pollen particle comes into contact with water vapor and the seed of a snowflake as water vapor coats the particle and forms a tiny crystal of ice high up in the Earth’s atmosphere.

[The forming a solid (ice) from a gas (water vapor) is called deposition and is the opposite of sublimation.]

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If you would like to know more about the forming of snowflakes and how they differ from sleet and freezing rain go HERE