Hw: How do different surfaces and substances absorb sunlight? Can you think of an example of this?

Question

I have thought of my example wich is snow absorbs a smaller portion of sun light than a dark forest. But i dont know how to explain how this is. Help me with both parts of the qestion answers are greatly appreshated :)!

Answer 1

absorption of light depends on what is called absorptivity of the surface. Snow posses low absorptivity and thus absorbs a smaller portion of light.Dark materials posses high absorptivity and thus absorb greater portion of light.

Answer 2

the lighter colors reflect light more and dark colors absord the sun's rays.

in other words:

Reflection is the change in direction of a wave front at an interface between two different media so that the wave front returns into the medium from which it originated.

Reflection of light may be specular (that is, mirror-like) or diffuse (that is, not retaining the image, only the energy) depending on the nature of the interface. Furthermore, if the interface is between dielectric-conductor or dielectric-dielectric media, the phase of the reflected wave may or may not be inverted, respectively.