Final answer:
Muddy snow is likely to melt faster than clean snow when exposed to the same amount of sunlight because it has a lower albedo and, therefore, absorbs more solar energy, leading to an accelerated melting process.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question inquires whether muddy snow and clean snow melt at the same rate under the same amount of sunlight. Drawing from the provided information and physics principles, our hypothesis would be: Muddy snow will melt faster than clean snow when exposed to the same amount of sunlight. This hypothesis is based on the fact that darker substances absorb more heat than lighter ones, as seen in the observation that darker pavement becomes hotter and melts ice more quickly compared to lighter pavement even when both are exposed to sunlight equally. This concept relates to albedo, where a lower albedo means more absorption of heat. Muddy snow, having a lower albedo due to dirt particles, would thus absorb more solar energy and melt faster compared to clean snow, which reflects more sunlight due to its higher albedo.
Considering an example, on a sunny day with 500 W/m² of energy hitting the ground, snow absorbing 5% of this energy can lead to the melting of ice given the large amount of heat required for phase changes. However, if we have muddy snow, which absorbs more than 5% due to its darker color and lower albedo, the melting rate would be faster than that of clean snow. This hypothesis aligns with positive feedback mechanisms observed in nature, where darker surfaces, once exposed, accelerate the melting process by absorbing more solar energy.