Font size
WorksheetsPlanet albedo
Total questions: 82
Worksheet time: 38mins
What is albedo and how does it relate to global warming?
Albedo is the measure of the Earth's distance from the sun. It relates to global warming because higher albedo levels result in the Earth moving closer to the sun, causing warming.
Albedo is the measure of the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere. It relates to global warming because higher albedo levels lead to increased oxygen, which contributes to warming.
Albedo is the measure of the Earth's magnetic field. It relates to global warming because lower albedo levels weaken the magnetic field, leading to increased warming.
Albedo is the measure of the reflectivity of a surface. It relates to global warming because surfaces with low albedo absorb more heat, contributing to the warming of the planet.
Explain how high albedo surfaces can help mitigate global warming.
High albedo surfaces can help mitigate global warming by increasing the greenhouse effect
High albedo surfaces can help mitigate global warming by reflecting more sunlight back into space, reducing the amount of heat absorbed by the Earth's surface.
High albedo surfaces can help mitigate global warming by absorbing more sunlight and warming the Earth
High albedo surfaces can help mitigate global warming by trapping more heat in the atmosphere
What are some examples of high albedo surfaces?
Blue ocean water
Black asphalt
Green grass
Snow, ice, sand, and white-painted roofs
How does low albedo contribute to the urban heat island effect?
Low albedo has no impact on the urban heat island effect.
Low albedo causes urban surfaces to reflect more solar radiation, leading to lower temperatures.
Low albedo causes urban surfaces to emit more solar radiation, leading to higher temperatures.
Low albedo causes urban surfaces to absorb more solar radiation, leading to higher temperatures.
Discuss the impact of melting ice and snow on albedo and global warming.
Melting ice and snow decrease albedo, leading to global warming.
Melting ice and snow have no impact on albedo or global warming.
Melting ice and snow increase albedo, leading to global cooling.
Melting ice and snow increase albedo, leading to no change in global temperature.
Explain the concept of albedo feedback and its role in global warming.
Albedo feedback is the process by which changes in the Earth's surface reflectivity can amplify or dampen the effects of global warming.
Albedo feedback is the process by which changes in the Earth's magnetic field can amplify or dampen the effects of global warming.
Albedo feedback is the process by which changes in the Earth's rotation speed can amplify or dampen the effects of global warming.
Albedo feedback is the process by which changes in the Earth's atmospheric pressure can amplify or dampen the effects of global warming.
How does albedo affect the Earth's energy balance?
By causing the Earth to rotate on its axis
By creating more clouds and precipitation
By absorbing solar radiation and increasing the Earth's temperature
By reflecting solar radiation back into space
What are some human activities that can alter the albedo of the Earth's surface?
Deforestation, urbanization, and agriculture
Mining, fishing, and hunting
Wildlife conservation, national park establishment, and reforestation
Solar panel installation, wind turbine construction, and hydroelectric dam building
Discuss the role of vegetation in influencing albedo and global warming.
Global warming is not affected by the amount of vegetation on Earth
Vegetation has no impact on albedo or global warming
Albedo is not influenced by the presence of vegetation
Vegetation can influence albedo by absorbing or reflecting sunlight, which in turn affects the Earth's temperature.
Explain the relationship between albedo and climate change.
Albedo is not related to solar energy absorption
Albedo has no impact on climate change
Albedo only affects the temperature of the oceans
Albedo affects climate change by influencing the amount of solar energy absorbed or reflected by the Earth's surface.
How does Earth's albedo affect its energy balance?
It increases the amount of solar energy absorbed by Earth.
It decreases the amount of solar energy absorbed by Earth.
It has no effect on Earth's energy balance.
It only affects the energy balance during the night.
Which surface type has the highest albedo?
Forests
Oceans
Snow and ice
Deserts
What is the primary role of clouds in Earth's albedo?
Clouds absorb all incoming solar radiation.
Clouds reflect solar radiation back into space.
Clouds have no impact on Earth's albedo.
Clouds only affect albedo during the night.
How does a decrease in Earth's albedo contribute to global warming?
By increasing the amount of solar energy reflected back into space.
By increasing the amount of solar energy absorbed by Earth's surface.
By decreasing the amount of solar energy absorbed by Earth's surface.
By having no effect on global warming.
Which of the following surfaces would likely have the lowest albedo?
Fresh snow
Dark ocean water
Sandy desert
Grassland
What happens to Earth's energy balance if the albedo of the planet increases?
More solar energy is absorbed by Earth.
Less solar energy is absorbed by Earth.
Earth's energy balance remains unchanged.
Earth's energy balance only changes during the day.
How do changes in cloud cover affect Earth's albedo?
Increased cloud cover decreases Earth's albedo.
Increased cloud cover increases Earth's albedo.
Cloud cover has no effect on Earth's albedo.
Cloud cover only affects albedo during the night.
Which of the following statements best describes the impact of albedo on climate?
Higher albedo leads to a warmer climate.
Higher albedo leads to a cooler climate.
Albedo has no impact on climate.
Albedo only affects climate during the summer.
What is the effect of deforestation on Earth's albedo?
It increases Earth's albedo.
It decreases Earth's albedo.
It has no effect on Earth's albedo.
It only affects albedo during the winter.
How does the melting of polar ice caps affect Earth's albedo?
It increases Earth's albedo.
It decreases Earth's albedo.
It has no effect on Earth's albedo.
It only affects albedo during the summer.
What is a measure of how much sunlight is reflected away from a surface?
Absorption
Reflection
Albedo
Spectroscopy
The total set of carbon emissions caused by an individual.
carbon cycle
carbon handprint
carbon footprint
carbon summary
Select all that apply.
You can help decrease your carbon footprint by...
buying and eat locally-produced food
lessening your amount of driving
recycling
decreasing your water and electricity usage
Which gas of the Earth's atmosphere is classified as a greenhouse gas?
Nitrogen
Carbon Dioxide
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
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
Evelyn, Benjamin, and Kai are curious about why Earth is warmer than outer space. Which of the following best explains how greenhouse gases act like a cozy blanket, raising the average temperature of our planet?
They allow more light to penetrate the atmosphere.
They are naturally hotter than other, non-greenhouse gases.
They allow in short-wavelength light energy but prevent some of the long-wavelength heat energy from leaving the atmosphere.
They have a very high albedo, which traps heat energy.
Grace and Mason are getting ready for a picnic on a warm sunny day. Grace chooses to wear a light-colored shirt, while Mason picks a dark one. Who will feel cooler, and why do light-colored clothes help you stay cool in the sun?
They reflect more light energy.
They prevent sweating.
They are not as heavy as dark clothes.
They let more air in.
Carbon can be stored in
vegetation
rocks
the atmosphere
all of the above
Michael, Evelyn, and Jackson are on a quest to discover why Earth is the only known planet with living organisms. Which factor do you think plays the biggest role in making our planet so special?
Abundant solid land
Abundant liquid water
Abundant atmosphere
Abundant bionosphere
How much of the light energy from the Sun is absorbed by the Earth’s ground and water?
5%
15%
45%
60%
A surface with an albedo of 0.9 means that
90% of incident light energy is reflected
0.9% of incident light energy is reflected
9% of incident light energy is reflected
Which of the following is a “greenhouse gas”?
Water vapor
Methane
Carbon dioxide
All of the above
Planets farther from the Sun tend to be colder than the Earth because planets
farther from the Sun have thinner atmospheres.
farther from the Sun receive less intense (“weaker”) incident sunlight
closer to the Sun have thinner atmospheres
closer to the Sun have had less time to cool down
Aiden, Evelyn, and Ava are on a mission to make Mars more like Earth! Which of the following creative ideas could help them make Mars more habitable?
Add “greenhouse gases” to the Martian atmosphere.
Cause large, icy, ammonia-rich asteroids to crash into Mars.
Spread black dust on Mars’ surface to reduce albedo.
All of the above
Which item reflects the highest percentage of light?
gases in the atmosphere
surface
clouds
The albedo of Earth is approximately:
0.1
0.3
0.5
0.7
Is the process of chemical weathering and burial in sediments a carbon source or a carbon sink?
carbon source
carbon sink
both
Is the process of combustion a carbon source or a carbon sink?
carbon source
carbon sink
both
Is the process of ocean-atmosphere exchange a carbon source or a carbon sink?
carbon source
carbon sink
both
Is the following term a carbon reservoir, or a carbon travel process? Volcanism.
reservoir
travel process
Is the following term a carbon reservoir, or a carbon travel process? Animal respiration.
reservoir
travel process
Is the following term a carbon reservoir, or a carbon travel process? Oceans.
reservoir
travel process
Is the following term a carbon reservoir, or a carbon travel process? Combustion.
reservoir
travel process
This terms means the amount of carbon moved by a process, usually measured in billions of tons per year.
carbon sink
carbon source
carbon flux
carbon mass
Ava and David are having a friendly debate in science class. Ava says Venus is much warmer than Earth, and David wants to know why. Can you help them figure it out?
Venus was much warmer than the Earth primarily because
it is farther away from the sun.
it has a much stronger greenhouse effect.
it has a much weaker greenhouse effect.
it is much more massive.
The combustion of hydrocarbons creates two compounds (as explored in the first section of Activity 3 - Moving Carbon Around. What are they?
Water and carbon dioxide.
Water and nitrogen.
Carbon dioxide and argon gas.
Carbon dioxide and nitrogen.
Scientists can look at the edges of leaves. More leaves with _______ edges live when the climate is warmer.
smooth
toothed
Scientists can look at the air bubbles trapped in ice cores. More ______ will be found when the climate is warmer.
Carbon Dioxide/CO2
Oxygen
Scientists can look at fossilized pollen found in soil. If pollen from an/a ____ is found, then the climate was warmer during that time period.
evergreen tree
palm tree
Which gas was added to the Young Earth’s atmosphere by volcanoes?
Oxygen
Nitrogen
Carbon Dioxide/CO2
Oxygen in the atmosphere allowed for animals to adapt and evolve on Earth
True
False
Oxygen in the hydrosphere, can increase or decrease the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere
Ture
False
Oxygen gas has always been present on Earth
True
False
If the Earth absorbs more energy from the Sun,
the temperature will ________
increase
decrease
If the Earth absorbs more energy from the Sun,
the result will be a _______ period.
glacial
interglacial
If the eccentricity of a planet’s orbit decreases (it becomes more circular and gets close to the sun), how does that affect the amount of solar energy it receives?
increases
decreases
there will be no change
Would the albedo of the earth be higher or lower if
Glaciers advance/increase
higher
lower
Would the albedo of the earth be higher or lower if
Glaciers melt/decrease?
higher
lower
Would the albedo of the earth be higher or lower if
more Soil/rock is exposed?
higher
lower
Would the albedo of the earth be higher or lower if
more Soil/rock is covered by ice and snow?
higher
lower
Is the albedo of the earth higher or lower if
Temperatures are decreasing?
higher/more ice
lower/less ice
Is the albedo of the earth higher or lower if
Temperatures are increasing?
higher/more ice
lower/less ice
Which area absorbs less of the sun's energy and reflects more of the sun's energy?
light colored ice
dark colored soil and rock
Which area would have a lower temperature?
light colored ice
dark colored soil and rock
