Albedo is the fraction of incoming solar energy that is reflected back to space by the Earth system (atmosphere, ocean, land surfaces). Bright, white surfaces such as clouds and snow, have high albedos that approach 1.0. Dark surfaces, such as the ocean have low albedos. Albedo is critical for Earth's energy balance and climate. Human activity can impact Earth's albedo by changing the landscape and releasing small particles to the atmosphere. For more information, visit .
Science On a Sphere
