Final answer:
True, an area with a light surface color such as snow on a sunny day has a high albedo rate as it reflects most of the sunlight, contributing to its lower temperature compared to darker surfaces.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that an area with a light surface color, such as snow, on a sunny day has a very high albedo rate is true. Albedo refers to the proportion of the incident light or radiation that is reflected by a surface, typically expressed as a percentage. Snow, being a light-colored surface, reflects most of the sunlight that falls on it, which signifies it has a high albedo. This means that a significant portion of the solar energy is not absorbed but instead is sent back into the atmosphere, contributing to the snow's ability to stay cooler than surfaces with lower albedo.
For example, on a sunny day after a big snowfall, the sun might provide energy at 500 W/m², with the snow reflecting most and only absorbing around 5%. When the snow or ice is replaced by darker materials due to natural or human-induced causes, the albedo can significantly decrease, leading to increased absorption of sunlight, as observed in atmospheric dust deposition, which can reduce snow albedo to approximately 30% and double the absorption of sunlight.