Why do snowflakes have such elaborate designs?

Question

Why is this? How does it happen?

Answer 1

There is actually a very simple explanation to this question, but not a full answer by any means. If you know a little bit about atomic structures on the molecular scale, you'll have an easier time understanding it. Water is composed of two hydrogen atoms, and one oxygen atom in the middle. The simple water molecule shape is something along the lines of triangle. As the water vapor freezes, it forms more complex hexagonal shapes in a sixfold symmetry pattern.

It forms its shape according to the temperature and path it falls down to the earth. Since no two snowflakes fall the same exact path down to earth, no two snow flakes are the same. Although there is no actual scientific principle that can prove this to be false, there are probably more variations than we could ever possibly hope to count.