Scientifically, what is the difference between snow and hail?

Question

Scientifically, what is the difference between snow and hail?

Answer 1

Because the water molecule (H2O) is polarized it forms six-sided crystals that grow symmetrically as snow flakes (no two alike!).  Hail represents snow crystals the fall from a cloud and partially melt but are caught in an updraft and taken aloft where they grow by combining with other snow flakes.  The process may be repeated many times and a large hailstone may grow that is too heavy to be carried aloft again (or the updraft weakens?).  If a large hailstone is cut in half it is often possible to count the individual layers of ice from each repeat trip aloft.

Answer 2

Hail is a solid precipitation having spherical or conical shape.They are produced in the cumulonimbus cloud and fall from that cloud only.

Snow is also a solid precipitation which occurs in a variety of minute ice crystals at temperatures well below zero degree celsius.If ice crystals are present in a cloud(other than cumulonimbus),they bond together until large enough to fall.While falling ,if they remain frozen,they reach the ground as snow;on the other hand ,if it melts on the way then it becomes rain.

Answer 3

snow is crystalised, hail is solid ice