How Do Crystals Grow?
ES0506  Watch a Snowflake Grow

  !   Click the image to see the animation.
Ken Libbrecht, California Institute of Technology
This snowflake was generated in a laboratory, but it mimics the process that occurs naturally in snow-producing clouds: invisible gas molecules of H2O join the solid structure of the snowflake at specific locations to increase its size.

  !   Play or step through the animation of snow crystal growth several times. Carefully examine just how it increases in size.

1. Write a description of how crystals grow in size. 



	

 	

		
			
	

	
	

		 
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