Clouds (IMAGE) University of Gothenburg Caption Clouds have a number of important functions. They act as reflectors whereby water droplets in the cloud reflect radiation back to the Earth, which contributes to the greenhouse effect. Credit University of Gothenburg Usage Restrictions None License Original content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.