Why dirty snow melts faster than the clean snow?

Question

When we take a blanket at room temperature and wrap it around ourselves, we become warmer than if we were uncovered by the blanket.

When we take a blanket at room temperature and wrap it around an ice cube, would it melt faster or slower than if the ice cube was uncovered by the blanket?

Answer 1

Dirty snow melts faster than clean snow because the dirt in dirty snow is dark in color, absorbing solar radiation. This causes dirty snow to melt faster than clean snow, which reflects most solar radiation back into the atmosphere rather than absorbing it.