Snowflakes provide wonderful examples of symmetry. Rotational symmetry – You can cut the image in half in more than one direction, and the two halves will appear as mirror images of each other. The object has more than one line of symmetry. Examples: A triangle can be cut along three different axes.

5 letters

Notice that the letters H, I, Y and O also have rotational symmetry (how many fold, in each case?) The point is that N, S, Z, and such things as propellers etc. all have rotational symmetry without also having reflection symmetry. Shapes like, say, the letter F are sometimes said to have one-fold rotational symmetry!!

Both Hydrogens bond to one side of the Oxygen with an angle of 104.4 degrees between them. This shape is what ultimately gives snowflakes 6 sides.

The baby starfish has 4 legs arranged around the center of the body. This baby starfish has 4-fold rotational symmetry (90 degrees) The red knobbed starfish shown here has five equally spaced legs.

Snowflakes, famously, are six-sided but they also have six-fold symmetry.

The ice crystals that make up snowflakes are symmetrical (or patterned) because they reflect the internal order of the crystal’s water molecules as they arrange themselves in predetermined spaces (known as “crystallization”) to form a six-sided snowflake.

From a single ice crystal, these amazing patterns form according to different weather conditions. Snowflakes are renowned for their uniqueness. No matter how many billions of them fall from the sky, there are never two the same. Our naked eye sees snow as unremarkable white dots.