Why is it blue underwater?

[physicslord]

I haven't heard a reasonable physical explanation for exactly why the colors toward the red end of the spectrum get filtered out under the ocean. I think it might have something to do with the H2O molecule.

Can someone explain why?

 

[DavidG1966]

http://www.dartmouth.edu/~etrnsfer/water.htm

 

[physicslord]

instant gratification. Thanks.

 

[MiddletonMark]

Similar to why sky is blue.

 

[physicslord]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6730702#post6730702 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MiddletonMark
Similar to why sky is blue.

Can't be. Think about the paradox:

Why is it red at Sunset? You're looking through more atmosphere so shouldn't it be more blue?

The sky is actually more blue directly overhead which is the shortest distance to the edge. But the deeper you go in the ocean the bluer it gets.

 

[tankslave]

Gotta bookmark that one!

Man, I love this hobby! physics, electronics, biology, philosophy...
nowhere else.

 

[david8956]

Can't be. Think about the paradox:

Why is it red at Sunset? You're looking through more atmosphere so shouldn't it be more blue?


The sky is actually more blue directly overhead which is the shortest distance to the edge. But the deeper you go in the ocean the bluer it gets.

You see red / orange at sunrise and sunset because the sun rays are weakened / scattered due to the acute angle, and they are reflecting particulate matter in the air close to earth.

http://apollo.lsc.vsc.edu/classes/met130/notes/chapter4/sunset_clean.html

 

[physicslord]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6739273#post6739273 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by david8956
You see red / orange at sunrise and sunset because the sun rays are weakened / scattered due to the acute angle, and they are reflecting particulate matter in the air close to earth.

http://apollo.lsc.vsc.edu/classes/met130/notes/chapter4/sunset_clean.html

Another way to say this is that the blue light get's scattered down to us and the red gets basically scattered away.

If it weren't for the particulate matter (smog) which allows you to see the reflected red light from the sun we wouldn't see any red at all. This of course can only happen when te sun is low in the sky.

 

[Krudco]

well atleast polution is good for something..LOL

 

[goby1]

I heard an atronomy (astrophysics?) prof. from UCSC on the radio the other day. The discussion was about the formalities regarding planet naming.

G1

 

[david8956]

I'll bet it felt good to get THAT off your chest

 

[loyalty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6732366#post6732366 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tankslave
Gotta bookmark that one!

Man, I love this hobby! physics, electronics, biology, philosophy...
nowhere else.

oh yeah, i learn all kinds of interesting things as a side effect of this hobby. i think it's because so many diverse people from diverse careers are involved

 

[physicslord]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6790871#post6790871 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by goby1
I heard an atronomy (astrophysics?) prof. from UCSC on the radio the other day. The discussion was about the formalities regarding planet naming.

G1

That would be Greg Laughlin. He had to cancel class one day to do that.

Astronomer and Astrophysicist are pretty much the same thing it's just that astronomer implies you actually observe with telescopes from time to time.


In 2001 Caltech astronomer Geoff Marcy was on Letterman to talk about the same subject. It was a total disaster.
Letterman asked: "what's up with black holes?" at one point during the interview.

 

[physicslord]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6747448#post6747448 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by physicslord

If it weren't for the particulate matter (smog) which allows you to see the reflected red light from the sun we wouldn't see any red at all.

I should probably amend my previous statements so it makes sense.

In the daytime sky, the blue light is getting scattered but the red is making it down to us pretty much unaffected.

Also, not all the particulate matter that makes it red around the sun at sunset is smog. After all, the sunset is red in Maui too.

better explanation than mine