Albedo Lab
Earth’s Energy Budget
Introduction:
This Albedo lab was created to help explain the process in which the Earth reflects solar energy back to space. The fraction of radiation reflected by an object is known as an albedo. In relation to the atmosphere, as solar radiation reaches certain colors on the surface of Earth, more radiation is absorbed by darker colors, which in turn decreases the solar radiation that reflects back to the atmosphere. If a person was interested in learning more about factors of global climate change, one might wish to begin to understand the process of albedo. However, the process of Albedo may also be related to an energy budget. An energy budget is a balance of energy income against expenditure, the solar radiation coming towards the Earth’s surface represents the income, and the albedo of solar energy leaving the Earth’s surface represents the expenditure. Through hypothetical reasoning, in Part A there will be a difference in solar absorption between the color variances, leading to differences in temperatures between the different colors of gum. In addition, in Part B there will be less solar absorption than in Part A, leading to the temperatures of the gum in Part B to be less hot.
Materials:
(1) Lab Quest Thermometer with Temperature Probe
(3) Pieces of Black 5 Gum
(3) Pieces of Green 5 Gum
(3) Pieces of Blue 5 Gum
(1) Heat Lamp
(1) Ring Stand
(1) 12”x12” sheet of Cheesecloth
(6) Small Pieces of Parchment
(6) Holt Earth Science Textbooks
(1) Metric Ruler
(1) Large Sheet of Paper
(1) Cup of Cool Water
(1) Paper Towel
(1) Writing Utensil
Procedure: 1. All materials listed above must be gathered and placed on a sufficient working space. 2. Find the heat lamp, and ring stand. 3. Adjust the heat lamp so it rests freely on the ring stand. 4. The heat lamp must then be plugged into an outlet, causing the heat lamp to begin to function. 5. Apply water to the different types of gum. 6.
Introduction:
This Albedo lab was created to help explain the process in which the Earth reflects solar energy back to space. The fraction of radiation reflected by an object is known as an albedo. In relation to the atmosphere, as solar radiation reaches certain colors on the surface of Earth, more radiation is absorbed by darker colors, which in turn decreases the solar radiation that reflects back to the atmosphere. If a person was interested in learning more about factors of global climate change, one might wish to begin to understand the process of albedo. However, the process of Albedo may also be related to an energy budget. An energy budget is a balance of energy income against expenditure, the solar radiation coming towards the Earth’s surface represents the income, and the albedo of solar energy leaving the Earth’s surface represents the expenditure. Through hypothetical reasoning, in Part A there will be a difference in solar absorption between the color variances, leading to differences in temperatures between the different colors of gum. In addition, in Part B there will be less solar absorption than in Part A, leading to the temperatures of the gum in Part B to be less hot.
Materials:
(1) Lab Quest Thermometer with Temperature Probe
(3) Pieces of Black 5 Gum
(3) Pieces of Green 5 Gum
(3) Pieces of Blue 5 Gum
(1) Heat Lamp
(1) Ring Stand
(1) 12”x12” sheet of Cheesecloth
(6) Small Pieces of Parchment
(6) Holt Earth Science Textbooks
(1) Metric Ruler
(1) Large Sheet of Paper
(1) Cup of Cool Water
(1) Paper Towel
(1) Writing Utensil
Procedure: 1. All materials listed above must be gathered and placed on a sufficient working space. 2. Find the heat lamp, and ring stand. 3. Adjust the heat lamp so it rests freely on the ring stand. 4. The heat lamp must then be plugged into an outlet, causing the heat lamp to begin to function. 5. Apply water to the different types of gum. 6.
Bibliography: No outside sources were used throughout my lab report.