will the air above a surface that has a high albedo be warmer or cooler than the air above a surface that has a low albedo?
Low.
The air above a surface that has a high albedo will generally be cooler than the air above a surface that has a low albedo. Albedo refers to the ability of a surface to reflect sunlight. Surfaces with high albedo reflect a larger portion of sunlight, while surfaces with low albedo absorb more sunlight.
To understand why the air above a high albedo surface is cooler, we can consider the energy balance. When sunlight hits a surface, it can be either reflected back into the atmosphere or absorbed by the surface. Surfaces with high albedo reflect more sunlight, resulting in less energy being absorbed. This means that less heat is transferred to the surrounding air, leading to cooler air temperatures.
On the other hand, surfaces with low albedo absorb more sunlight, converting it into heat energy. This heat is then transferred to the surrounding air, causing it to warm up.
So, in summary, the air above a surface with high albedo will be cooler because the surface reflects a larger portion of sunlight, leading to less heat absorption and transfer to the air.