The incoming radiation from the sun interacts with Earth's surface in different ways. Describe a surface that would have a high albedo and a surface that would have a low albedo.

Question

Physics

Carley Fitzpatrick

27 April, 02:14

The incoming radiation from the sun interacts with Earth's surface in different ways. Describe a surface that would have a high albedo and a surface that would have a low albedo.

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Janelle Miles · Answer 1

Albedo Alto: Snow

Albedo bass: ocean

Explanation:

Albedo is the fraction of solar radiation reflected by a surface. The term has its origin from the Latin word albus, which means "white." It is quantified as the proportion or percentage of solar radiation of all wavelengths reflected by a body or surface to the amount incident on it.

The color of the soil certainly affects the reflectivity, the lighter colors that have greater albedo than the dark colors and, therefore, present greater albedo. Soil texture is also a factor that affects albedo. Some studies have shown that snow-covered soils, being a light color, reflect most of the light and therefore do not absorb it and present the greatest amount of terrestrial surfaces. While with the ocean and seas most of the radiation is absorbed it has a dark color increasing with the depth of the place and therefore has the lowest surface albedo. In the end of the year the snow has 86% of reflected light while the oceans 8% of reflected light.