When snow melts, where does the white go?

Question

Snow is white, but when it melts and becomes water it is clear. Since matter can neither be created nor destroyed, what happens to the white?

Answer 1

The white in snow is light refraction. when snow melts, the light is not reflected by the chrystals at different angles. So as the solid changes to a liquid, the angles of the chrystal in the snow no longer are able to reflect as the angles no longer exist

Answer 2

Instead of absorbing light, snow's complex structure prevents the light from shining through its lattice formation and visible light (which is white) is efficiently reflected rather than absorbed. What little sunlight is absorbed by snow is absorbed uniformly over the wavelengths of visible light thus giving snow its white appearance.



But of course... snow can actually be seen in several different colors.

Answer 3

White is actually the minerals inside the water being compressed together, once it melts the white gets absorbed by the ground

Answer 4

Its Magic!