Why are the oceans blue? |
The oceans are blue for much the same reason that the sky is blue- the atoms that constitute the ocean absorb the other colors of light more than they absorb blue. Water molecules, which are made from oxygen and hydrogen atoms, actually disperse a little more blue than they disperse the other colors, they also absorb the other colors a little more. The effect is small and that is why small amounts of water may not appear blue at all. It takes a relatively large amount of very clear water to obtain that slightly blue tinge. Often the ocean will seem like it is a different color because it reflects the color of the sky. This is why the ocean sometimes seems red orange or yellow. Also, high concentrations of plankton can make the ocean appear green or cyan. Even if you can’t visually make the distinction, the water in a clear glass, ice cube or fish bowl that appears perfectly transparent is in fact a very subtle blue. |