Question

which part of earth most likely has the highest albedo value?
smooth ocean ice when the sun is at a 30-degree angle
smooth ocean ice when the sun is at a 15-degree angle
choppy ocean water when the sun is at a 30-degree angle
choppy ocean water when the sun is at a 15-degree angle

Explanation:

Albedo is the measure of the reflectivity of a surface. Ice has a higher albedo than water. When the Sun is at a lower angle (15 - degree), the light has to travel through more atmosphere and also for smooth ice, the reflection is more specular. For a given surface (ice in this case), a lower - angle Sun (15 - degree) will result in more reflection (higher albedo) compared to a higher - angle Sun (30 - degree) because at lower angles, the light is more likely to be reflected rather than absorbed. Choppy water has a lower albedo than smooth ice as the rough surface of choppy water scatters light in many directions and also water has a lower albedo than ice in general.

Answer:

smooth ocean ice when the Sun is at a 15 - degree angle