The primary distinction between artifical snow and actual snow is that actual snow has extra air and fewer water. This offers pure snow a lighter really feel which you could expertise when snowboarding via recent powder that falls from the sky quite than machines.
I’ve been snowboarding for many of my life, and I’ve encountered nearly each kind of snow situation you’ll be able to think about. I’ve skied on each synthetic and pure snow, and I do know the variations between the 2.
This submit will clarify the distinction between artifical snow and actual snow. That is good data for each skier to know to present you an concept of what snow situations is perhaps encountered whenever you hit the slopes.
Convey on the snow.
How is Artifical Snow Made?
It’s vital to know how artifical snow is made to see the way it differs from actual snow that falls from the sky.
Snow machines throw water droplets into the air on the aspect of a ski slope. These water droplets then freeze and type snowflakes which pile up on the runs and make a base layer that may be skied on.
The snow-making machines shoot the water up into the air wherever from about 10 to 30 meters to present the water sufficient time and house to freeze and really flip into snow.
Synthetic snowmaking has been round for many years, and it is not uncommon at many of the main ski resorts the world over. It supplies a great way to complement pure snowfall and ensure the runs at ski resorts could be skied on.
The Massive Distinction: Water Content material
artifical and actual snow from a scientific perspective, the massive distinction between the 2 is water content material.
Artifical snow has much more water in it than actual snow. Artifical snow is made up of about 70% air and 30% water. Actual snow is made up of about 90% air and 10% water. Which means that synthetic snow has almost thrice as a lot water content material as actual snow.
What does water content material should do with snow?
Effectively, it performs an important position in how snowflakes type and impacts their construction. This, in flip, impacts how the snow feels for skiers after they ski down it.
And why does artifical snow have extra water in it?
Since artifical snow begins as water droplets shoot into the air 10 to 30 meters, it doesn’t take as lengthy to fall to the bottom after it turns into snow. This doesn’t enable for as a lot air to fill in between the crystals of a snowflake.
Actual snow falls for lots of or 1000’s of ft from clouds within the sky. Because it falls, extra air can get in between every snowflake and the crystals throughout the flakes. This ends in extra air and fewer water.
Completely different Densities
The upper water content material in artifical snow makes the snowflakes very dense. This ends in compact snowflakes which are spherical in form and considerably heavy. They stack up thick on each other.
The elevated quantity of air in actual snow makes it much less dense and lighter. Actual snow kinds the normal snowflake form that I’m positive you might be accustomed to. Evaluate this form to a compact circle or raindrop, and you’ve got a greater concept of the completely different densities between snows.
These densities have an effect on how snow stacks up. Actual snow, with extra air, stakes up softer, leading to powder situations which are pillowy and thick. Artifical snow stacks up heavier and nearer collectively, leading to tougher situations.
Variations in Snowboarding
Actual snow and artifical snow can really feel very completely different from each other if you end up snowboarding on them. In the event you discuss to any critical skier, they’ll let you know that actual snow is all the time higher than artifical, and I agree completely.
Actual snow is, effectively, actual. It stacks up in smooth powder, which results in ultimate snowboarding situations that the majority of us genuinely love and seek for as usually as potential. Softer snow is extra enjoyable, simpler to ski, and extra forgiving.
Synthetic snow doesn’t actually flip into powder. It shortly turns into hardpacked and icy, resulting in much less ultimate snowboarding situations which are tougher to show and keep in management on. It’s nonetheless snow, but it surely’s simply not pretty much as good of snow.
Pure snow may also get hard-packed and icy, and this happens after the recent snow has been skied on quite a bit or gone via a number of freeze/thaw cycles that compact it away from a powder state.
Artifical snow can’t actually ever flip into powder that all of us like to ski on. Even for those who let these snow machines run for days, the snow received’t stack up softly in the identical manner that pure snow. It’s simply the character of elevated water content material and denser flakes.
Artifical Snow: Execs and Cons
Despite the fact that pure snow is all the time higher than artifical snow, artifical snow is best than no snow in any respect. That is the first purpose why synthetic snow exists within the first place: to create snow when it’s not snowing.
Artifical snow permits ski resorts to throwing layers of snow down on the slopes and isn’t reliant on pure climate patterns. This will increase general protection, main to higher ski situations, particularly if recent snow sits on high of the artifical stuff.
The draw back is that artifical snow merely isn’t pretty much as good as actual snow. It’s not as smooth and results in icy and hardpack situations that may be difficult to ski on, even for actually good skiers.
One other con of artifical snow is that it requires giant quantities of water and vitality to create. Snowmaking is a resource-intensive course of that clearly isn’t as environmentally pleasant as snow falling from the sky.
Actual Snow: Execs and Cons
The first benefit of actual snow is that it’s the true deal! There actually isn’t something higher for snowboarding than numerous recent snow blanketing the mountain in a deep layer of sentimental, pillowy powder. Actual snow creates much better snowboarding situations than synthetic snow.
Actual snow additionally doesn’t require any particular instruments, gear, or assets to create. It falls from the sky and might stack up deep within the mountains throughout the winter months.
This drawback to actual snow is that we will’t management when or the place it falls. Pure climate patterns and local weather change impression how a lot snow falls, and typically there isn’t sufficient snow to permit for snowboarding.
Artifical snow eliminates this challenge by permitting snow protection to happen when it’s not snowing. You’ll be able to’t all the time predict when or how a lot actual snow will fall, however you’ll be able to nearly all the time activate the snow-making machines.
Conclusion
The first distinction between artifical and actual snow is that actual snow has much less water content material. This ends in extra powder-like situations that skiers everywhere in the world get pleasure from as a result of it’s simpler and extra enjoyable to ski on.
Artifical snow nonetheless has its place and permits ski resorts to complement protection and make snow when there isn’t any actual stuff falling from the ski. And I’d take a day of snowboarding on synthetic snow over not snowboarding in any respect, wouldn’t you?!
