Why is the ocean blue?
Why is the ocean blue? The ocean is blue due to the way that light from the sun is attenuated by the water. Blue light is absorbed the least giving the water its color. Tropical water appears a bluer color than colder, temperate waters. This is because it is less productive which allows the blue light to travel deeper into the water and it reflects off the sand. Whereas in more temperate waters the light is absorbed faster making the water look darker.
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For more information check out the sources used to make this video:
Townsend, D.W. 2012. Oceanography and Marine Biology: An introduction to Marine Science. Sinauer Associates, Inc. Sunderland, Massachusets, USA. pp 151-155