What is the albedo effect and how does it relate to global warming?
Albedo is the percentage of incoming radiation reflected off a surface. Bright surfaces, like ice and snow, reflect solar radiation back into space. However, as ice sheets melt due to the Earth’s rising temperatures, the removal of this highly reflective surface and the resultant increase in the surface area of less-reflective oceans and tundra could cause a decrease in the Earth’s albedo and a consequent further warming of the planet. What is a positive feedback loop and how does this concept relate to global warming? ANSWER: A positive feedback loop is a self-reinforcing system, a process that creates conditions that make that process quicken or intensify. The positive part of the term has nothing to do with positive outcomes, and that is especially true when it comes to global warming. Common expressions referring to a positive feedback loop include: vicious cycle, snowballing, or run-away situation. Global warming is proving to be affected by a growing number examples of positive f