During the Snowball Earth temperatures at the equator rarely exceeded -20 degrees Celsius.Why didn't heat from the sun melt the ice?
A)The high levels of atmospheric moisture created extensive cloud cover.
B)Ice reflected most of radiant energy.
C)The ozone layer absorbed all the heat.
D)The earth's core was cooled and kept the ice frozen.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Ice reflects most of the radiant energy, which means that very little of the sun's heat is absorbed by the ice. This is why it was able to remain frozen even at the equator during the Snowball Earth period.

During the Snowball Earth Temperatures at the Equator Rarely Exceeded