Imagine for a moment you are enjoying a sunny day in the snow. As the sun shines brightly, you realize that, despite the cold, you need to wear sunglasses due to the dazzling reflection of the sun on the snow. This phenomenon, where the snow reflects the sunlight back into space, is a perfect example of the albedo effect in action.
Albedo is a measure of how well a surface can reflect sunlight. Light surfaces such as snow and ice have a high albedo, meaning they are very good at reflecting sunlight. On the other hand, dark surfaces, like oceans and forests, have a low albedo, absorbing more solar energy. This balance between the absorption and reflection of sunlight is a key factor in regulating the temperature of our planet.
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