Lab module 4: global energy | Geography homework help

Question 33: For Greenland, is the albedo higher or lower in February when compared to the albedo in September?

A. The albedo is lower in February

B. The albedo is higher in February

C. The albedo is relatively the same in February and September

D. There is no albedo over Greenland because ice and snow do not reflect sunlight Collapse and uncheck the ALBEDO folder.

NET RADIATION

Net radiation, sometimes called net flux, is the difference between incoming solar radiation absorbed by the Earthfs surface and the radiation reflected back into space. In other words, net radiation is the energy available to Earth at the Earthfs surface. Some places absorb more energy than reflect, while other places on Earth reflect more energy than absorb. Factors that affect the net radiation of a place include albedo, latitude and Sun angle, atmospheric conditions (like clouds and dust), and the time of year. As a result, some areas will have a seasonal or annual energy surplus with a positive net radiation (more energy absorbed than reflected) while other areas will have a seasonal or annual energy deficit with a negative net radiation (more energy reflected than absorbed). Fortunately, the Earth has a global energy budget at approximately equilibrium, with a global net radiation at approximately zero (that is, global incoming energy equals global outgoing energy). Expand the NET RADIATION folder. Double-click and select Net Radiation in January. The legend at the top shows the global net radiation for January, which ranges from 280 W/m2 to -280 W/m2. Hence, an orange or red color indicates a greater (positive) net radiation, while a green or blue color indicates a lower (negative) net radiation.