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It ’s unremarkably believed that the ocean is blue because it ’s reflect the blue sky . But this is a misconception .
The ocean is drear because of the way it absorbssunlight , according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ) .
When sunlight hits the ocean , the water strongly draw long - wavelength color at the red close of the light spectrum , as well as short - wavelength lighting , including reddish blue andultraviolet . The rest light that we see is mostly made up of blue wavelengths .
However , NOAA observe that the ocean may take on other hues , let in red and green , if light bounces off object floating near the aerofoil of the water , such as sediment and alga .
Just how naughty the body of water is depends on how much of it is available to plunge the Inner Light .
For instance , water in a glass is clear — there are n’t enough water molecules to really absorb the luminousness .
But ocean water appears bluer the farther you trip down the water tower . The water molecules suck infrared , red and ultraviolet light first , and then yellow , gullible and violet .
blasphemous light is absorbed the least , yield it the greatest ocean penetration depth , according toNASA .
This fact is exculpated if you look at unedited subaquatic photo that were n’t taken with a photographic camera flash or another artificial lightness beginning — even the most vivacious of tropical fish look blue .
