Lesson 2 – Explaining the Greenhouse Effect and Albedo

Aim: to explain the process of the greenhouse effect, identifying greenhouse gasses. To understand the role of
albedo in regulating the earth’s climate.

Task 1 – Explain the difference between short and long wave radiation:

Short Wave Radiation Long Wave Radiation

Factors that affect SW radiation Factors that affect LW radiation

Task 2 – Explaining the Greenhouse Effect

Explain how the (natural) Greenhouse

Effect works:

Give details on the following greenhouse gasses (p430)

Water Vapour Carbon Dioxide Methane CFC’s

Terrestrial albedo changes and feedback loops

Albedo is the fraction of Sun’s radiation reflected from a surface. The term has its origins from the Latin word albus,
meaning “white”. It is quantified as the proportion, or percentage of solar radiation of all wavelengths reflected by a
body or surface to the amount incident upon it. An ideal white body has an albedo of 100% and an ideal black body,
0%.

What are Feedback Loops?

Negative and positive feedback systems keep a system in dynamic equilibrium. A negative feedback decreases the
amount of change by reducing some of the inputs, returning the system to stability. positive feedback is less
common. It increases the amount of change. This leads to an imbalance.

Negative Feedback Example: A good supply of grass for rabbits to eat will attract more rabbits to the area, which
puts pressure on the grass, so it dies back, so the decreased food supply leads to a decrease in population because of
death or out migration, which takes away the pressure on the grass, which leads to more growth and a good supply
of food which leads to a more rabbits attracted to the area which puts pressure on the grass and so on and on....

Positive Feedback Example: Polar ice reflects light from the sun. As this ice begins to melt, less sunlight gets
reflected into space. It is instead absorbed into the oceans and land, raising the overall temperature, and fuelling
further melting. This results in a positive feedback loop called ice albedo feedback, which causes the loss of the sea
ice to be self-compounding. The more it disappears, the more likely it is to continue to disappear.

https://youtu.be/1KwZjHKOefk

https://youtu.be/fJ999LIWvJk

Define Albedo and explain its changes with relation to the surfaces shown in table 1
above

To what extent do seasons alter global albedo levels in the temperate and tundra regions of the northern &
southern hemisphere? p431

Explain what a positive feedback means and how a decrease in terrestrial ice coverage can cause positive
feedback loops to occur

A positive feedback loop increases instability and change. As ice and snow levels decrease in polar and mountain
regions albedo levels will decrease meaning that more solar insolation is absorbed by dark surfaces such as the
oceans or land. This will then mean that global temperatures will further increase leading to even less ice
coverage and more absorption of solar insolation.
 Explain the term global dimming

The pandemic and global dimming

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/02/210202164535.htm

Suggest two reasons for the global variations in albedo. (2+2)

Seasonal changes in ice cover:

Global warming (positive feedback)

If finished, answer the questions on P435