Global Warming Lab/Green book activity

In class we conducted an experiment to compare the absorption of heat on various surfaces on the Earth. I learned alot from this particuliar experiment. The darker the substance tends to be, such as soil, the more heat it will absorb. THis is most likely because of the fact that black takes in alot more heat then lighter colors. Sand would be considered a lighter substance. Although sand absorbs heat at a high right, its lighter color tends to cause the absorbency levels to be lower, than that of darker substances. All substances on earth absorb solar energy as heat. Some substances though, absorb heat while radiating it back.
Water is an example of one of those substances. Water, tends to heat up much slower than soil or sand, because it is transparent and because the surface of water tends to radiate heat back twoards the sun. Water alsmost acts like a mirror. When the heat from the sun hits the surface, some of the heat gets reflected back into the atmosphere.
I also learned alot about the rates of cooling on Earth. After the sun goes down, certain substances contain their heat, while others lose it. Water is a substance that tends to loose its heat, while the ground contains it. This could best be observed on a foggy night, when you see the water evaporating out of the ground. When this occurs, the ground is loosing heat enrgy in the form of evaporating water.
Doing this lab has helped me depict the role of different substances on the earth and heat containment.
I hope to continue doing labs like this, to make real life observations and connections, to further my education and understanding of the natural sciences.