Question

why do melting ice caps make earth warmer?

a. polar ocean water cools off.

b. the salinity of ocean water increases.

c. the ground under the ice has a lower albedo.

d. more solar energy is reflected.

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze each option:

• Option A: Polar ocean water cooling off would not warm the Earth, so A is incorrect.
• Option B: Salinity increase of ocean water is not directly related to Earth warming due to melting ice caps, so B is incorrect.
• Option C: Albedo is the measure of how much solar radiation is reflected. Ice has a high albedo (reflects much solar energy), while the ground under ice has a lower albedo (absorbs more solar energy). When ice melts, the ground with lower albedo is exposed, absorbs more solar energy, and converts it to heat, warming the Earth. This makes C correct.
• Option D: If more solar energy were reflected, the Earth would cool, not warm, so D is incorrect.

Answer:

C. The ground under the ice has a lower albedo.