If the albedo of short grass is 0.26, this means that:

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The question asks about the meaning of an albedo value for short grass, given as 0.26. Albedo is the fraction of incident solar radiation that is reflected by a surface.

Option under consideration: '26% of the incoming radiation is reflected and 74% of the incoming radiation is absorbed.' This interpretation aligns with the definition of albedo: a fraction of 1 (or 100%) of the incoming energy is reflected, and the remainder is absorbed (assuming no transmission or scattering losses beyond absorption). Since 0.26 equals 26%, it indicates that 26% is reflected. The remaining 0.74 (or 74%) is not reflected, so it is absorbed by the grass.

Important nuance: in many environmental contexts, transmission through the surface or reflection not accounted for in albedo might be negligible for opaque surfaces like grass, so the absorbed fraction is typically taken as 1 minus the albedo, i.e., 1 - 0.26 = 0.74, or 74%.

Potential misconceptions to avoid:
- Thinking albedo refers to transmitted energy; for most land-surface applications, albedo focuses on reflection, not transmission, since the surface is largely opaque to incoming solar radiation. 
- Assuming albedo equals absorption; they are complementary components (reflection plus absorption equals total incident energy, neglecting other minor pathways). 
- Misreading the decimal: 0.26 as 26% is correct when converting to a percentage.

In summary, interpreting 0.26 as 26% reflected and 74% absorbed follows directly from the definition of albedo as the reflected fraction of incoming radiation, with the remainder being absorbed by the surface.

ENEN20002_2025_SM1 Quiz on Lecture 7 material

If the albedo of short grass is 0.26, this means that:

View Explanation

Log in for full answers

Similar Questions

Albedo is the ratio of reflected solar radiation to the total incoming solar radiation

Albedo is the ratio of reflected solar radiation to the total incoming solar radiation

1) Changes in earth's climate depend primarily on the amount of sunlight hitting the earth, the trapping of energy by greenhouse gases, and _________________.

On the other hand, urban centers, such as the one pictured to the right in Figure 8, most likely have a __ albedo

Ice and Snow, like what is pictured to the right, would likely have a __ albedo, which results in more sunlight being reflected and very cold temperatures.

How does albedo in the southern hemisphere differ between the two maps in Figure 3-7?

How does albedo in the northern hemisphere differ between the two maps in Figure 3-7?

Why is the albedo so high over Antarctica and the Arctic Ocean?

More Practical Tools for Students Powered by AI Study Helper

Homework AI Solver

Stylized AI Paper Writer

Plagiarism Checker Assistant

Citation AI Academic Writing Tool

In-Class Translation Assistant

AI Note Generator

AI Quiz Answers

Past Exam Questions from University Test Bank

Smart Practice Assistant

Adaptive Practice

Making Your Study Simpler