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8.

An airplane sprinkles black soot on a snow-covered field. The soot will increase the rate that the snow melts because _____.



User Ardweaden
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Final answer:

Black soot decreases the albedo of snow, leading to increased absorption of solar radiation and faster snow melting due to positive feedbacks in climate dynamics.

Step-by-step explanation:

An airplane sprinkles black soot on a snow-covered field. The soot will increase the rate that the snow melts because the darker-colored soot absorbs more solar radiation than the light-colored snow. Unlike snow, which has a high albedo and reflects most solar radiation, soot has a low albedo and thus absorbs more heat, leading to faster melting of the snow. This process is a part of positive feedbacks in climate dynamics, where an initial change is amplified by the effects it induces, such as increased absorption of solar energy leading to further melting.

User Uruapanmexicansong
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