Albedo effect
Albedo Effect
Light from the sun is energy.
Albedo Effect
When this light falls on an object some of it is reflected.
Albedo Effect
Some of the light is absorbed.
Albedo Effect
The Albedo is a measure of how much light a surface reflects.
Albedo Effect
It is mostly determined by the colour and texture of the surface.
Albedo Effect
You may have experienced how much warmer a black t-shirt is to wear on a bright day than a lighter coloured one.
Albedo Effect
The Albedo Effect can change our climate. Snow covered land reflects nearly all the light that falls on it.
Albedo Effect
However dark coloured land will absorb nearly all of the light energy turns to heat.
Albedo Effect
As the world’s climate warms, the snow in some areas of the artic has melted leaving the ground underneath exposed.
Albedo Effect
The exposed ground absorbs more of the suns energy causing further warming meaning more snow will melt. This is an example of positive feedback.
Activities
Albedo Effect
Investigate the temperature difference between different coloured tiles left in the sun.
Albedo Effect
Describe what you did to make your test fair.
Albedo Effect 2
Use an infra red thermometer to measure the temperature of different surfaces such as grass or tarmac around your school.
Albedo Effect
Research another example of feedback related to climate change.