Assignment task:
Albedo is a measure of how much energy is reflected by a surface. A material with 0% albedo absorbs all of the energy it receives, while a material with 100% albedo reflects all of the energy it receives.
During the summertime, do you feel warmer while wearing dark-colored clothing or light-colored clothing?
Surfaces that are lighter in color have a higher albedo and surfaces that are darker have a lower albedo. Ice (and clouds) can increase the albedo of the earth's surface. What affect do you think that has on the earth's overall temperature?
Globally, ice caps are melting, reducing the amount of surface ice on the planet. With respect to albedo, what affect will that have on the earth?
Now that you have worked with the model, what is the "greenhouse effect" and how does it work?
What are some strengths and weaknesses of this model? (How is it like what we have in the real world and what are its limitations?)