Exercise Thirteen / Heating the Atmosphere 221 ‘Airless bodies like the Moon All Bodies with modest amounts of ‘Bodies with abundant greenhouse Incoming solar radiation reaches the greenhouse gases like Earth Green- gases like Venus Venus experiences Surface, Some is reflected back to house gases in the atmosphere absorb extraordinary greenhouse warming, Space. The rest is absorbed by the some of the longwave radiation hich is estimated to raise Its surface ‘Surface and radiated directly back to omitted by the surface. Aportion of temperature by 523°C (O41"F). ‘Space. As‘ result the kinar surface this energy is radiated back to the thas a much lower average surface Surface and is responsible for keeping temperature than Earth. Earth's surface 33°C (59°F) warmer than it would otherwise be. rs reer ae Loess Ce me pe ee Psa) esac 13.4 MieR els Because the atmosphere is heated chiefly by radiation emitted by Earth’s surface, differ- ences in the heating properties of various surfaces, such as a water, soil, and trees, influ- ences air temperatures. In addition, albedo influences air temperatures. Albedo refers to the reflectivity of a surface and is usually expressed as the percentage of light reflected. Surfaces with high albedos are not efficient absorbers of incoming solar radiation. As a result, air above these surfaces is not warmed as much as air above surfaces that are good absorbers (low albedo), all else being equal To better understand the effect of color on albedo, conduct the following experiment: Step 1: Write brief hypothesis that relates albedo to the heating and cooling of light-colored and dark-colored surfaces. continued222 PartThvee/ Meteorology Activity 13.44 continued Step2: Place the black and silver containers (with lids ‘and thermometers) about 6 inches away from the light source, as shown in FIGURE 13.5 Place both containers the same distance from the light but do not have them touch. ‘Step 3: Using TABLE 13.1, record the starting tempera ture of each container. Step 4: Turn on the light and record the air tempera- ture in both containers in Table 13.1 at about 30-second intervals for 5 minutes. ‘Step 5: Tum off the light and continue to record the ‘temperatures at 30-second intervals for an- other 5 minutes. Step.6: Plot the temperatures from Table 13.1 onthe _ FIGURE 13.5_Albedo experiment lab equipment The thermometers albedo experiment graph in FIGURE 13.6. Use __aremeasuring the ar temperature inside the containers a different-color line to connect the points for ‘each container and label each line. TABLE13.1__Albedo Experiment Data Table 1. For each container, calculate the rate of heating (change in temperature divided by the time the light was on) and the rate of cooling (change in temperature divided by the time the light was off) RATEOF HEATING RATE OF COOLING 50" J stver can Blackcan 2, Write a statement that summarizes the results of the albedo experiment. 3, List atleast two types of Earth surfaces that have ahigh | 92° albedo and two that have alow albedo. High albedo: ipo hs Ne ee ld 4, Given equal amounts of radiation reaching the surface, should the air over a snow-covered surface be warmer ‘or colder than air above a dark-colored, barren field? Explain your answer Color. die 50n+ FIGURE 13.6 Albedo experiment raph 5. Ifyou lived in an area with long, cold winters, woulda light-colored or dark-colored roof be the best choice for your house? )