Definition of "reflectance" [reflectance]

• The ratio of the total amount of radiation, as of light, reflected by a surface to the total amount of radiation incident on the surface. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Perhaps colours are tied in some intimate way to intrinsic or extrinsic physical properties of the surfaces of things, such as reflectance properties."
• "It turns out that the aerosols and particulates we emit tend to increase the reflectance (albedo) of the planet; if in fact there was more warming early in the 20th century than later in the century, the reason may be that late in the century we put more sulfur oxides into the atmosphere."
• "The computer model tested 50 "dimensions" of facial features, which were divided into two categories — shape and reflectance."