Question:

Which of the following common natural surfaces on the Earth have highest albedo?

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Albedo is the fraction of incoming solar radiation that a surface reflects back.
Updated On: Jun 16, 2026
  • Dry soil
  • Clear water
  • Needle leaf vegetation
  • Snow and Ice
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The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

Concept:
Albedo is the fraction of incoming solar radiation that a surface reflects back. A bright, light-coloured surface reflects most of the sunlight and so has a high albedo, while a dark surface absorbs most of it and has a low albedo.

Step 1:
Dark surfaces such as clear water, dry soil and needle-leaf (forest) vegetation absorb a large part of the sunlight and reflect only a small fraction, so their albedo is low.

Step 2:
Fresh snow and ice are bright white and reflect a very large part of the sunlight, often 80 to 90 percent. This gives them the highest albedo among the listed natural surfaces.

Answer: Option (4) — Snow and Ice.
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