Albedo and Atmosphere Reassess Lesson

​The amount of radiation that is absorbed or reflected (bounced back) depends on the surface.

​

The measure of reflectivity of a surface is called albedo.

​

Light colored surfaces like ice reflect more sunlight than dark surfaces like dirt or soil.

​

Dark surfaces have a low albedo and absorb more sunlight then they reflect.​

Multiple Choice

Albedo can best be described as...

• the temperature at the equator

• the amount of solar radiation absorbed

• the amount of solar radiation reflected

• the air pressure during El Nino

Multiple Choice

What has the highest albedo?

• the oceans

• Ice in the Arctic or Antarctic

• the ground

• roads

Multiple Choice

What has the highest albedo?

• the oceans

•  glacial ice

• the ground

• roads

Multiple Choice

What heats faster, land or water?

• Land

• Water

Multiple Choice

Which type of surface would have the highest albedo effect?

• Forest

• Snow

• Water

• Rock

Multiple Choice

Which would you expect to have the lowest albedo?

• dark soil

• white sand

• ice and snow

• deep sea water

Multiple Choice

If you want to keep your house cool all year, should you design the house roof to have a high or a low albedo?

• High

• Low

Multiple Choice

This is the measurement of the amount of reflectivity of a surface.

• Greenhouse number

• Albedo

• Viscosity

• Reflective score

The higher the albedo, the more energy if reflected, so it remains COOLER!

The lower the albedo, the less energy is reflected, (more is absorbed) it warms up!

What that means-

• Albedo is the PERCENTAGE of energy REFLECTED off of a surface.

• The HIGHER the albedo, more the more reflected.

• THe LOWER the albedo the more ABSORBED

albedo

Lets review WHAT albedo is!

Multiple Choice

Rank the following from low albedo to high albedo.

(1) Ocean

(2) Sand

(3) Ice

(4) Asphalt

• 2, 3, 4, 1

• 1, 2, 4, 3

• 3, 2, 1, 4

• 4, 1, 2, 3

Multiple Choice

Does this dark asphalt road reflect or absorb light?

• Reflect

• Absorb

Multiple Choice

Which has a lower albedo, an asphalt parking lot or a snow-covered field?

• Asphalt parking lot

• Snow-covered field

• They have the same albedo

• More information is needed to answer this question

Multiple Choice

What is another word for "albedo?"

• Reflectivity

• Absorption

• Solar energy

• Surface temperature

Multiple Choice

What has the highest albedo?

• the oceans

• Ice in the Arctic or Antarctic

• the ground

• roads

Multiple Choice

When light is reflected by an object, it makes the atmospheric temperatures warmer.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Which type of surface would have the highest albedo effect?

• Forest

• Snow

• Water

• Rock

Multiple Choice

What has the highest albedo?

• the oceans

•  glacial ice

• the ground

• roads

Multiple Choice

Which would you expect to have the highest albedo?

• dirt

• sand

• ice

• water

Multiple Choice

Which has a lower albedo, an asphalt parking lot or a snow-covered field?

• Asphalt parking lot

• Snow-covered field

• They have the same albedo

• More information is needed to answer this question

Multiple Choice

What is the name of the LOWEST layer of the atmosphere, where we live? 

• STRATOSPHERE

• TROPOSPHERE

• EARTHOSPHERE

Multiple Choice

Which of these does not apply to the Troposphere?

• weather occurs here

• airplanes fly here

• temperature decreases as you go up

• temperature increases as you go up

Multiple Choice

This layer contains the ozone layer and protects us from UV radiation...

• troposphere

• earthosphere

• stratosphere

• exosphere

Multiple Choice

The thermosphere contains extremely high and low temperatures. It contains the ionosphere. Is it the largest or smallest layer?

• largest

• smallest

Multiple Choice

This layer is the last pull of gravity. It contains all of the following except...

• magma & lava

• particles escaping into space

• satellites

• edge of space

Multiple Choice

Meteors begin to burn up in the...

• stratosphere

• thermosphere

• troposphere

• mesosphere

Multiple Choice

The ________ is between the mesosphere and troposphere.

• stratosphere

• thermosphere

• troposphere

• mesosphere

Multiple Choice

Which layer is the lowest layer of the atmosphere?

• stratosphere

• thermosphere

• troposphere

• mesosphere

Multiple Choice

What is the second most abundant gas in the atmosphere at 21%?

• oxygen

• nitrogen

• argon

• carbon dioxide

Multiple Choice

Space shuttles and International Space Station orbit in the...

• stratosphere

• thermosphere

• troposphere

• mesosphere

Multiple Choice

Virtually all weather takes place in the...

• stratosphere

• thermosphere

• troposphere

• mesosphere

Multiple Choice

What gas makes up the largest proportion of air at 78%?

• oxygen

• nitrogen

• argon

• carbon dioxide

Multiple Choice

Which layer is the outermost layer?

• troposphere

• thermosphere

• exosphere

• mesosphere

Multiple Choice

The coldest layer.

• troposphere

• thermosphere

• exosphere

• mesosphere

Multiple Choice

The ________ is between the mesosphere and troposphere.

• stratosphere

• thermosphere

• troposphere

• mesosphere

Multiple Choice

What is the order of the layers of the atmosphere, starting with the layer closest to Earth's surface?

• Stratosphere, Troposphere, Exosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere

• Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere, Exosphere

• Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Exosphere, Thermosphere

• Troposphere, Stratosphere, Thermosphere, Exosphere, Mesosphere

78 % Nitrogen 21% Oxygen 1% Argon

Outside in E-T-M-S-T

Each has unique characteristic

Exosphere-furthest out, satellites

Thermosphere-hottest

Mesophere-Dense, burns up meteorites

Stratosphere-Ozone layer

Troposphere- our weather

​Atmosphere

It is the % of light REFLECTED by a surface! (other % absorbed)

Lighter colors reflect more (hi albedo)

Darker colors absorb more (lo albedo)

​Albedo

Quick Review

Multiple Choice

What is another word for "albedo?"

• Reflectivity

• Absorption

• Solar energy

• Surface temperature

Multiple Choice

If a surface has an albedo of 1, how much light is reflected?

• 0%

• 50%

• 75%

• 100%

Multiple Choice

If a surface has an albedo of 0, how much light is reflected?

• 0%

• 50%

• 75%

• 100%

Multiple Choice

Which of these surfaces has the highest albedo?

• trees

• asphalt

• snow

• gravel

Multiple Choice

Which of these surfaces has the lowest albedo?

• trees

• asphalt

• snow

• sand

Multiple Choice

In which layer of the atmosphere do satellites orbit?

• exosphere

• thermosphere

• troposphere

• mesosphere

Multiple Choice

Meteors burn up it which layer of the atmosphere?

• stratosphere

• troposphere

• mesosphere

• thermosphere

Multiple Choice

Which layer of the atmosphere contains the ozone layer?

• mesosphere

• troposphere

• stratosphere

• thermosphere

Multiple Choice

What is the name of earth's atmospheric layer where weather occurs?

• stratosphere

• thermosphere

• exosphere

• troposphere

Multiple Choice

Which atmosphere layer contains the Aurora Borealis?

• Troposphere

• Mesosphere

• Thermosphere

• Stratosphere

Multiple Choice

Which atmosphere layer protects living things from the Sun's UV radiation?

• Troposphere

• Mesosphere

• Thermosphere

• Stratosphere

Multiple Choice

The hottest layer of the atmosphere:

• Troposphere

• Stratosphere

• Mesosphere

• Thermosphere

Reorder

Place the layers of the atmosphere in order from left to right, starting with the layer closest to the surface of the Earth.

• Troposphere

• Stratosphere

• Mesosphere

• Thermosphere

• Exosphere

1

2

3

4

5

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Multiple Choice

78% of troposphere gas is...

• argon

• carbon dioxide

• oxygen

• nitrogen

Multiple Choice

Which gas in the stratosphere absorbs harmful ultraviolet light?

• carbon dioxide

• oxygen gas

• ozone

• arbon

Multiple Choice

List the layers of the atmosphere in order from Earth's surface to outer space.

• stratosphere, thermosphere, troposphere, mesosphere, exosphere

• troposphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere, stratosphere

• troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere

• thermosphere, troposphere, mesosphere, stratosphere, exosphere

Multiple Choice

Layer of the atmosphere that is the warmest:

• troposphere

• stratosphere

• mesosphere

• thermosphere

Multiple Choice

What happens to the density (thickness)/air pressure of the air as you increase in altitude?

• density increases

• density decreases

• density stays the same

• density disappears

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is the correct order of the atmosphere layers from Earth to space?

• troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere

• troposphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere, stratosphere

• thermosphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, troposphere, exosphere

• troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, exosphere, thermosphere

Multiple Choice

Which layer of the atmosphere has the greatest amount of air pressure?

• troposphere

• stratosphere

• mesosphere

• exosphere