Which term designates the fraction of light reflected by a planetary surface?

Which term designates the fraction of light reflected by a planetary surface?

• A. Albedo
• B. Reflectivity
• C. Absorptivity
• D. Transmittance

Answer: (A)

Albedo is the fraction of incoming light that is reflected by a surface. In planetary contexts, it describes how bright a surface appears and how much solar energy is bounced back, expressed as a ratio of reflected to incident light (ranging from 0 to 1). Higher albedo means more reflection (like fresh snow), while lower albedo means more absorption (like oceans or forests). Absorptivity refers to what’s absorbed, transmittance to what passes through, and while reflectivity can describe how much light bends off, albedo is the standard term used for the fraction reflected by a planetary surface.

Albedo is the fraction of incoming light that is reflected by a surface. In planetary contexts, it describes how bright a surface appears and how much solar energy is bounced back, expressed as a ratio of reflected to incident light (ranging from 0 to 1). Higher albedo means more reflection (like fresh snow), while lower albedo means more absorption (like oceans or forests). Absorptivity refers to what’s absorbed, transmittance to what passes through, and while reflectivity can describe how much light bends off, albedo is the standard term used for the fraction reflected by a planetary surface.