answersLogoWhite

0

Yes, everything has albedo. Albedo refers to the reflectivity of any object or substance.

White clouds have a high albedo - they reflect a lot of light. Dark clouds have a lower albedo; they don't reflect as much.

User Avatar

Wiki User

16y ago

What else can I help you with?

Continue Learning about Astronomy

Mars has an albedo magnitude of?

The albedo of Mars is .15; you can see the albedo of all of the planets and moons in the solar system at the Nine Planets web site, linked below. "Albedo" is a measure of how reflective a body is. The higher the number, the more reflective the surface. So a high albedo says that a planet or asteroid reflects most of the light that hits it, while a low albedo indicates that most of the light is absorbed. Albedo can make calculations about climate change difficult. A planet with a high albedo reflects much of the Sun's light and heat, causing it not to heat up as much. A low albedo means that all of the solar radiation is absorbed and turned into heat. A warmer world will have less snow and ice cover, and thus a lower albedo, resulting in higher temperatures. On the other hand, a warmer world might have more clouds, which would increase Earth's albedo, reflect more sunlight, and reduce the heating effect. However, clouds also act to trap heat, sort of like a blanket. Whether the albedo effect would offset the "blanket" effect of clouds would depend on the type and height of the clouds and where they are located. Cloud effects are among the most important sources of uncertainty in modeling future climate change.


What are the factors the determine a planets albedo?

Factors that determine a planet's albedo include its surface composition, cloud cover, atmospheric conditions, and the angle at which sunlight strikes its surface. A planet with lighter surfaces and more cloud cover will have a higher albedo, reflecting more sunlight back into space. Conversely, a planet with darker surfaces and less cloud cover will have a lower albedo, absorbing more sunlight.


What is the primary reason why the albedo of the Earth is roughly 30 percent?

albedo


Why do many clouds reflect a significant amount of sunlight back to space?

Many clouds reflect a significant amount of sunlight back to space due to their high albedo, which is the measure of reflectivity. The water droplets or ice crystals in clouds scatter incoming sunlight, preventing it from reaching the Earth's surface. This reflective property helps regulate the planet's temperature by cooling the surface. Additionally, thicker and more extensive clouds tend to reflect even more sunlight, enhancing this cooling effect.


What is responsible for reflecting light back into the atmosphere?

The characteristic of being able to reflect light is called albedo. Substances with high albedo are able to reflect more light. The major substances with high albedo that reflect light back into space from Earth are: clouds, snow, ice caps, aerosols etc. In fact, many environmentalists are pushing the "White Roof Movement" that encourages the painting of roofs white in order to increase the albedo in urban areas, hopefully decreasing the urban heat island effect.

Related Questions

Many clouds have a high albedo and therefore tend to?

reflect sunlight


Do clouds account for 30 percent of the world's albedo?

The average overall albedo of Earth, because of it's covering of clouds, is 30 %- 35%


Many clouds have a high albedo therefore tend to?

Clouds with high albedo reflect more incoming solar radiation back into space, which can lead to a cooling effect on the Earth's surface by reducing the amount of solar energy absorbed. This can influence the Earth's energy balance and may contribute to a decrease in global temperatures.


What is the albedo of Neptune?

The average overall albedo of Earth, itsplanetary albedo, is 30 to 35%, because of the covering by clouds, but varies widely locally across the surface, depending on the geological and environmental features.


What is the major contributor to Earth's albedo?

The major contributor to Earth's albedo is clouds. Cloud cover reflects sunlight back into space, which helps to cool the planet by reducing the amount of solar radiation that is absorbed by the Earth's surface.


The albedo of the earth's surface is the fraction of solar radiation that is?

The albedo of the Earth's surface is the fraction of solar radiation that is reflected back into space. It is a measure of how reflective a surface is, with higher albedo values indicating more reflection and less absorption of sunlight by the surface. Land surfaces, ice, and clouds generally have higher albedo values, while oceans and forests have lower albedo values.


Mars has an albedo magnitude of?

The albedo of Mars is .15; you can see the albedo of all of the planets and moons in the solar system at the Nine Planets web site, linked below. "Albedo" is a measure of how reflective a body is. The higher the number, the more reflective the surface. So a high albedo says that a planet or asteroid reflects most of the light that hits it, while a low albedo indicates that most of the light is absorbed. Albedo can make calculations about climate change difficult. A planet with a high albedo reflects much of the Sun's light and heat, causing it not to heat up as much. A low albedo means that all of the solar radiation is absorbed and turned into heat. A warmer world will have less snow and ice cover, and thus a lower albedo, resulting in higher temperatures. On the other hand, a warmer world might have more clouds, which would increase Earth's albedo, reflect more sunlight, and reduce the heating effect. However, clouds also act to trap heat, sort of like a blanket. Whether the albedo effect would offset the "blanket" effect of clouds would depend on the type and height of the clouds and where they are located. Cloud effects are among the most important sources of uncertainty in modeling future climate change.


Many clouds reflect on a lot of sun light because they have an high?

Clouds reflect sunlight because of their high albedo, which is the ability of a surface to reflect light. This means that they send a significant amount of sunlight back into space, contributing to cooling the Earth's surface.


What has the lowest albedo?

Albedo means reflectivity. The higher the albedo, the more light (and heat) is being reflected. Generally, the darker the color, the lower the albedo : most of the energy is absorbed. Snow has a fairly high albedo, as do clouds. Black tar roofs have a very low albedo.


Earth has a what of about 30 percent reflecting much of the sun's radiation back into space?

Earth has an average albedo of about 30%, meaning it reflects about 30% of the incoming solar radiation back into space. This albedo is influenced by various factors like clouds, ice, and land cover.


The fraction of incident light that a body reflects is known as its?

" albedo "


What does higher albedo means?

Higher albedo refers to the increased reflectivity of a surface, meaning it reflects a larger proportion of incoming sunlight rather than absorbing it. Surfaces with high albedo, such as ice, snow, and certain types of clouds, can contribute to cooling effects in the environment, as they reduce the amount of heat absorbed by the Earth. In contrast, surfaces with low albedo, like forests or oceans, absorb more sunlight, leading to warmer temperatures. Changes in albedo can significantly impact climate and weather patterns.