Why doesn't snow melt when there is sun out that is kind of hot?

Answer 1

The color of soot is the primary reason why soot on snow will melt snow faster than clean, white snow. Soot is primarily the airborne carbon residue of fire and is mostly impure carbon particles. Soot deposited on solid surfaces tends to be a non-reflective black.

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The soot on snow will absorb light, both visible and invisible, and become warm, warming the surround snow. Even below freezing (32 degrees F or 0 degrees C) a slight increase in temperature will assist the snow in evaporating or melting. The evaporation from solid state to gaseous state without turning into liquid is called sublimation.

Answer 2

Because the area around the snow is not as hot as the area above it. Snow is maintained at 0 degrees Celsius, and the area around the snow is not sufficiently higher than this for the snow to melt. It is probably melting, just not very rapidly.

Answer 3

Snow absorbs very little sunshine; that's why it's bright white.

Coal dust absorbs a lot of sunshine; that's why it's dull black.

The coal dust absorbs sunshine and becomes warm. The heat from the coal dust conducts into the snow,

causing it to melt.

Answer 4

Because of its dark color, soot will absorb light fairly easily, causing it to heat up. It will then radiate this heat is infrared light, melting surrounding snow.

Answer 5

The color black absorbs all the colors in sunlight, where white reflects all the colors. This added absorbtion of black soot makes the area a little warmer which melts the snow faster.

Answer 6

Black soot absorbs more sunlight than white snow.