Civil Services Prep

Prelims 2022 · Geography · Question 81

Consider the following statements: 1. High clouds primarily reflect solar radiation and cool the surface of the Earth. 2. Low clouds have a high absorption of infrared radiation emanating from the Earth's surface and thus cause warming effect. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer

Neither 1 nor 2

Statement 1: Incorrect. High clouds (like cirrus) are thin and let in much solar radiation, but they are effective at trapping outgoing longwave/infrared radiation, so their net effect is often warming, not primarily cooling.

Statement 2: Incorrect. Low clouds do absorb outgoing infrared radiation, but they also have high albedo and strongly reflect incoming solar radiation; their net effect is generally cooling, not warming.

Therefore: Neither 1 nor 2 is correct.

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