Understanding Understanding: Research and Resources
Brought to you by Team More Techie Than You
as part of Michigan State University's Master of Arts in Education Technology (MAET)
Research:
Pure water is clear, then why is the ocean blue? The reason why the color of the ocean is blue has to do with light and how it reflects off the things in the ocean. Light is the key role in understanding the color of things seen throughout the world. When light hits the ocean water, the yellow, green, red colors of the light spectrum is absorb, leaving the color blue to shine through to the naked eye. This is the case with the exception of the coastal ocean, which appears to be clear. This mostly has to do with the amount of water.
Beside the water molecules absorbing different colors, the particles in the water can also play a role to the color of water. According to NASA, "If there are any particles suspended in the water, they will increase the scattering of light. In coastal areas, runoff from rivers, resuspension of sand and silt from the bottom by tides, waves and storms, and a number of other substances can change the color of the near-shore waters." A common understanding of why the color of the ocean appears the way that it does is because of the algae that is seen in the water at a microscopic level. The algae particles, like the water particles mentioned above, absorb all of the light spectrum except for blue.
The ocean also appears to be blue because the particles in the ocean seem to act as mirrors and reflect the color of the sky. This is apparent when you look at your reflection in the water. You can usually see yourself in the water. Now, play this out when looking out at the ocean during a clear day. Instead of you being reflected, the sky is now being reflected.
Resources:
NASA Science Earth's Explanation of the Color of the Ocean
MarineBio Conservation Society's Explanation of the Color of the Ocean
UCLA Student Group's Explanation of the Color of the Ocean
Scientific American Article about the Color of the Ocean
WebExhibits Exploration of the Color of Water
Pure water is clear, then why is the ocean blue? The reason why the color of the ocean is blue has to do with light and how it reflects off the things in the ocean. Light is the key role in understanding the color of things seen throughout the world. When light hits the ocean water, the yellow, green, red colors of the light spectrum is absorb, leaving the color blue to shine through to the naked eye. This is the case with the exception of the coastal ocean, which appears to be clear. This mostly has to do with the amount of water.
Beside the water molecules absorbing different colors, the particles in the water can also play a role to the color of water. According to NASA, "If there are any particles suspended in the water, they will increase the scattering of light. In coastal areas, runoff from rivers, resuspension of sand and silt from the bottom by tides, waves and storms, and a number of other substances can change the color of the near-shore waters." A common understanding of why the color of the ocean appears the way that it does is because of the algae that is seen in the water at a microscopic level. The algae particles, like the water particles mentioned above, absorb all of the light spectrum except for blue.
The ocean also appears to be blue because the particles in the ocean seem to act as mirrors and reflect the color of the sky. This is apparent when you look at your reflection in the water. You can usually see yourself in the water. Now, play this out when looking out at the ocean during a clear day. Instead of you being reflected, the sky is now being reflected.
Resources:
NASA Science Earth's Explanation of the Color of the Ocean
MarineBio Conservation Society's Explanation of the Color of the Ocean
UCLA Student Group's Explanation of the Color of the Ocean
Scientific American Article about the Color of the Ocean
WebExhibits Exploration of the Color of Water
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