medium · Enhanced ACT reading
Micro-Passage: The Albedo Effect describes the reflectivity of Earth's surface. Ice caps, with high albedo, reflect most incoming solar radiation back into space. Conversely, dark ocean water absorbs this energy, leading to thermal expansion and increased melting at the ice margins. This feedback loop is a primary driver of polar temperature amplification.
Which statement best describes the relationship between ocean surface characteristics and polar temperatures as presented in the stimulus?
- Solar radiation levels are significantly higher in polar regions because the ice caps lack the density to reflect light.
- High albedo in ice caps is the sole factor responsible for preventing the thermal expansion of deep-sea oceanic currents.
- Darker surfaces decrease the reflectivity of the region, causing higher energy absorption and a subsequent rise in local heat.
- Thermal expansion of the oceans is the initial cause that triggers the high reflectivity of newly formed polar ice sheets.
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