What is albedo?

Answer 1

Albedo is the measure of how reflective a surface is. It is expressed as a percentage and ranges from 0% (absorbs all light, no reflection) to 100% (reflects all light, no absorption). It is commonly used in climatology to describe the amount of sunlight that is reflected by the Earth's surface back into space. High albedo surfaces, such as snow and ice, reflect more sunlight and have a cooling effect on the climate, while low albedo surfaces, such as asphalt and dark vegetation, absorb more sunlight and contribute to warming.