Which one of the following reflects more sunlight as compared to the other three?

Answer: (c) Land covered with fresh snow

Fresh snow reflects ~80–90% of sunlight.

The idea

Albedo is the fraction of incoming sunlight that a surface reflects. A pale surface with many scattering grains can return a large share of sunlight. Fresh snow has this structure, whereas vegetation absorbs much light. Compare reflection, not the temperature of the surface.

Why the others are wrong

(a) Sand reflects ~30–40%.

(b) Crops reflect ~15–25%.

(d) Grassland reflects ~20–25%.

Elimination technique

Fresh snow is the clear high-albedo surface in this set. Neither green vegetation nor ordinary sand has the same bright, highly scattering cover, so the comparison can be settled without memorising exact percentages.

Also know

Old, dirty or melting snow reflects less than fresh snow. Forests are generally darker than snow, while ocean reflectivity varies strongly with the angle of sunlight. Losing snow exposes darker ground, increasing absorption and encouraging further warming. This is a positive feedback, not an additional source of solar energy.