Does the Presence of Ice Sheets Affect Earth's Energy Balance?

AI Thread Summary
The presence of large ice sheets influences Earth's energy balance by affecting solar energy absorption due to their high albedo. Ice sheets reflect more sunlight, resulting in less solar energy being absorbed by the Earth. This phenomenon is evident even on small areas, where clean white surfaces reflect more light compared to darker, "dirty" snow. The discussion emphasizes the local impact of ice sheets on energy dynamics rather than a global perspective. Understanding this relationship is crucial for comprehending climate interactions.
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Homework Statement



The presence of a huge ice sheet helps support itself by changing the amount of energy the Earth receives.Question 13 options:
True
False

Homework Equations


none

The Attempt at a Solution


Ice sheets have high albedo, therefore Earth gets less solar energy?
 
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Sounds OK to me.

Although discussing it in terms of "Earth receives" is an exaggeration, we talk about the local situation. It can be easily seen even on just a few square feet of snow how prominent is the effect of having clean white surface vs "dirty" snow.
 
Thank you!
 
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