Re: Why do leaves sink in the snow?

You are correct. Yes, both. The leaf and the snow around it get the same amount of sunlight, but the white snow reflects more than the darker leaf does (the scientific word for this is "albedo" - the snow has a higher albedo). Since the leaf absorbs or keeps more of the light, it gets warmer than the snow around and under it. That is why the snow around the leaf melts faster than snow further away from the leaf. As the snow under the leaf melts, gravity pulls the leaf down and keeps the leaf close to the snow, so the melting continues.

The link below uses this phenomenon as an example of how a seemingly small thing can have a great effect on the environment.

THE HUMAN IMPACT ON WEATHER AND CLIMATE The Pennsylvania State University College of Earth and Mineral Sciences

I hope I have answered your question.

Your Mad Scientist,

Dauda Ladipo