What is the purpose of the passage?

The correct answer to this question is C, factual information. The information in the passage about the snow crystals is accurate, and there can be no opposing theories to it, for it has been proven as such. Factors such as wind conditions, temperature, and vapor can determine the shape of the snow crystal.

It is also true in the passage that the snow crystals are symmetrical. There are five types of snow crystals. The five include columns needles, irregular forms, spatial dendrites, capped columns, and stellar crystals. Often, snow crystals are confused with snowflakes. While snow crystals are a single crystal of ice, snowflakes are individual snow crystals.

The snow crystal information is factual, and there is no opposition to it because all snow crystals are six-sided structures; however, they can be different depending upon the temperature aloft or below, the humidity, the wind chill, and many other factors. If the air is dry, the snowflakes are smaller, whereas if the air is humid, they will be more significant.

In a situation where the lowest layer of the earth’s atmosphere is freezing or just below, the snowflake will begin to melt, and the flakes will be like glue and stick together creating that heavy wet snow that is great for building snowmen and having those snowball battles. If the atmosphere is below freezing, then you will have that dry snow and will blow around and pile up if the wind is strong.