Which term describes the portion of sunlight reflected by Earth?

Which term describes the portion of sunlight reflected by Earth?

• A. Albedo
• B. Absorption
• C. Transmission
• D. Refraction

Answer: (A)

Albedo is the portion of sunlight reflected by Earth. It is the fraction of incoming solar radiation that bounces back into space rather than being absorbed. This property helps determine Earth's energy balance: high-albedo surfaces like ice, snow, and clouds reflect more light and tend to cool the surface, while low-albedo surfaces like oceans and forests absorb more light and contribute to warming. The other terms describe different processes—absorption is energy taken in, transmission is light passing through a material, and refraction is the bending of light as it changes media.

Albedo is the portion of sunlight reflected by Earth. It is the fraction of incoming solar radiation that bounces back into space rather than being absorbed. This property helps determine Earth's energy balance: high-albedo surfaces like ice, snow, and clouds reflect more light and tend to cool the surface, while low-albedo surfaces like oceans and forests absorb more light and contribute to warming. The other terms describe different processes—absorption is energy taken in, transmission is light passing through a material, and refraction is the bending of light as it changes media.