What is the albedo effect of asphalt in terms of its reflectivity?

The albedo effect refers to the measure of how much sunlight is reflected by a surface. In the case of asphalt, it is known to have a low albedo. This means that asphalt absorbs a significant portion of the sunlight that strikes it, reflecting only a small percentage back into the atmosphere. Typically, dark surfaces like asphalt do not reflect much light, leading to higher temperatures in urban areas where such materials are prevalent. This contributes to the urban heat island effect, where urban areas become significantly warmer than their rural surroundings.

By contrast, surfaces with high albedo (like snow or light-colored concrete) reflect most of the sunlight and have a cooling effect. Moderate albedo surfaces would reflect a fair amount of light but not as much as high albedo materials, and the concept of "no albedo" does not accurately represent how surfaces interact with sunlight, as all surfaces have some degree of reflectivity. Thus, identifying asphalt as having a low albedo helps to understand its impact on temperature and energy absorption in the environment.