Question

Based on your knowledge of the properties of light, what is the best explanation for the blue color of the ocean?

Answer 1

The blue color of the ocean is due to the scattering and selective absorption of sunlight by water molecules, where the blue light is scattered and the longer wavelengths are more efficiently absorbed.

Step-by-step explanation:

The blue color of the ocean is best explained by the properties of light interaction with water molecules, specifically the phenomena of absorption and scattering. White light is composed of all visible colors, which include red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. When sunlight penetrates the ocean, water molecules absorb the longer wavelengths, like red and yellow, more efficiently. Meanwhile, the shorter wavelengths, notably blue, are scattered in all directions, making the ocean appear blue to an observer. This scattering is also responsible for the blue color of the sky. In both cases, the interaction of light with small particles or molecules, exhibiting wave characteristics, is what results in the selective scattering of blue light over other colors.

Answer 2

The blue wavelengths of light are scattered, similar to the scattering of blue light in the sky but absorption is a much larger factor than scattering for the clear ocean water. In water, absorption is strong in the red and weak in the blue, thus red light is absorbed quickly in the ocean leaving blue.