Question

Air pollution acts to __________ the albedo of cities and therefore __________ the urban heat island effect.

a) Increase, enhance
b) Decrease, reduce
c) Increase, reduce
d) Decrease, enhance

Answer 1

Air pollution increases the albedo of cities and reduces the urban heat island effect.

Step-by-step explanation:

Air pollution acts to increase the albedo of cities and therefore reduce the urban heat island effect.

Albedo is the measure of how much solar radiation a surface reflects. Higher albedo means more sunlight is reflected, resulting in cooler temperatures.

Air pollution, such as aerosols and particulate matter, can increase the amount of solar radiation that is scattered back into space, reducing the amount of heat absorbed by urban surfaces and lowering the urban heat island effect.