Question

Explain the term albedo.

Answer 1

Albedo is the amount or fraction of radiation reflected back by a surface. It varies by surface, with bright white surfaces having an albedo of 1 and black surfaces having an albedo of 0. For example, snow and ice have a higher albedo compared to soils. The overall Earth’s albedo is about 0.3, meaning 30% of solar radiation is reflected back from the Earth’s surface.