In years of heavy snow pack in the mountains it is sometimes desirable to induce early melting of the snow,rather than wait until it all melts suddenly and causes floods.It has been suggested that a way to accomplish this might be to have planes fly over the snow fields and sprinkle them with black soot.What do you think of this idea? Would it work?
A)Yes,it would probably work because the black surface would be a better absorber of sunlight than would the white snow.
B)Yes,it would work because the soot would raise the melting point of the snow.
C)Yes,it would work because the soot would decrease the specific heat capacity of the snow.
D)No,it would not work because it is infrared radiation and not visible radiation which melts the snow.
E)No,it would not work because sunlight has very little effect on how fast the snow melts.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The black soot would absorb more sunlight, which would increase the temperature of the snow and accelerate the melting process.

In Years of Heavy Snow Pack in the Mountains It