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Clouds & Particles

Basics

3. Sun and clouds

Worksheet 2

Can you answer the following questions?

1) Which of the following clouds has the largest albedo?

a) cumulus
b) cirrus
c) cumulonimbus
d) stratus

2) The average albedo of our planet is...

a) 5%
b) 30%
c) 70%
d) 99%

3) Compared to a cloudless sky, the Earth under a cloudy sky will be...

a) warmer during the day and warmer at night
b) colder during the day and warmer at night
c) warmer during the day and colder at night
d) colder during the day and colder at night

4) The capacity of a cloud to absorb infra-red radiation affects the climate of the Earth since it influences the ...

a) temperature.
b) way we see red coloured objects.
c) production of acid rain.
d) formation of rainbows.

5) Which of the following processes is not likely to happen if our climate gets warmer?

a) more cloud formation
b) warming, because clouds trap more heat (infra-red radiation) coming from the ground
c) less cloud formation
d) cooling, because clouds will reflect more sunlight back into space

6) You can only see a rainbow when the Sun is...

a) right above you.
b) beside you.
c) in front of you.
d) behind you.

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1. Experiment: Absorption and transmission

Place a thick plate of glass (or stack of glass plates) on an overhead projector and watch the light projected on the wall.

What do you see where the glass plate is?

Touch the glass plate. What do you feel?

Explain your observations in terms of transmission and absorption.

2. Reflection and transmission by windows

When you sit inside in a lit room and look out of the window at dusk, you see the outside environment (the garden, street or whatever). At the same time you see an image of yourself and the room.

Explain this in terms of transmission and reflection.

Photo: Microsoft clipart

About this page:

Authors: Ellen K. Henriksen and Camilla Schreiner - University of Oslo - Norway. Scientific reviewer: Justine Gourdeau - LaMP Clermont ferrand - France - 2004-01-13. Quiz programmer: Julia Heres - University of Nürnberg - Germany. Last update: 2004-03-27.