Ask A Scientist© Weather Archive

>
> >  name       Cherryl
> >  status     other
> >  age        30s
>
> >  Question - Why is snow white?
>
>For the same reason clouds and milk are white. Light striking the small ice
>crystals in snow both reflects (bounces off the surface) and refracts
>(changes direction when it penetrates the surface). Very little is
>absorbed, because water is only faintly colored (it is very slightly blue).
>Eventually, most light that strikes the snowbank either bounces off or works
>its way out after changing direction many times. This light appears to the
>eye to all be reflecting off the surface of the snow, so it looks just like
>any solid object. Since snow reflects or spits out light of all colors
>fairly equally, it appears white.
>
>Richard E. Barrans Jr., Ph.D.
>Assistant Director
>PG Research Foundation, Darien, Illinois

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>Cherryl,
>
>Snow is white because it reflects all wavelengths of light well. This is
>true of all ice, unless it contains alot of air (like an iceberg, which looks
>bluish).
D. Cook
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