eli5. why is snow white but ice is clear??
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Snow is mostly air. it consists of crystals which occupy a much greater volume than their overall dimensions. Light reflects off the large surface area of the ice structures which make up the snow crystals creating the impression of ‘white’. Ice however is almost all water. If it has air embedded, then it starts looking white where the air is, but the frozen water just transmits light through and does not reflects as white.
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