The albedo of the earth's surface is only about 4%, yet the combined albedo of the earth and the atmosphere is about 30%. Which set of conditions below best explains why this is so?
A) high albedo of clouds; low albedo of water
B) high albedo of clouds; high albedo of water
C) low albedo of clouds; low albedo of water
D) low albedo of clouds; high albedo of water

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The high albedo of clouds significantly contributes to the overall albedo of the Earth and its atmosphere, reflecting a large portion of sunlight back into space, while the low albedo of water (oceans) contributes less to the overall albedo.

The Albedo of the Earth's Surface Is Only About 4