albedo

Definition

The fraction of incident light or radiation reflected by a surface or body, commonly expressed as a percentage.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin albēdō (“whiteness”).

Example Sentences

• "For track, painting rails white at weak points that are more prone to buckling (where the 'critical rail temperature' is close to the 'stress free temperature' [...]) increases their albedo and can help slow how quickly they heat up, reducing their temperature by perhaps five degrees or so."