Why do water and the sky look blue, when in reality, air and water are normally clear?

Answer 1

Each has a different reason. The sky is blue due to scattering of short wavelength light. This is called Raleigh scattering. Water is blue because of materials dissolved in it absorbing longer wavelengths.

Distilled water remains clear in large quantities, and this is known due to very large artificial ponds of it deep underground where neutrino sensors are positioned. So if distilled water is clear but natural water is blue, then the reason must be in what is different- the dissolved materials.

Answer 2

The sky looks blue because of the atmosphere(s). There are seven different layers of atmosphere which have different elements, causing the human eye to perceive color. The water, when in large masses, appears to be blue because of the depth. Its more of a light trick then anything else.
Hope this helps, God bless.

Answer 3

The small molecules that make up air bend the sun's light. The small molecules are better at bending light with small wavelengths (like blue) than they are at bending long wavelength light (red, yellow). So when you look up in the sky, you are seeing the blue part of the sun's light being bent toward your eye by the atmosphere. Larger molecules can bend longer wavelength light towards your eye, which is why the sky looks hazy when it's dusty or polluted.

Answer 4

They reflect the blue light that travels from the sun. Why not purple or green? Because, when the light from the sun travels to earth, it gets refracted in the atmosphere. Blue happens to get refracted enough at the right angle we see it reflected in the sky and water. When we see it in another thing, cup, bowl, etc, it doesn't reflect the light from the sun.

Answer 5

It has to do with the reflective properties of light. Blue is the most active color (has the most energy) and it travels the furthest. Same reason the colors of the rainbow are always the same and always in the same order. I know that is supper simple but it is true if you want more information check out a conceptual physics book and you'll get more information than you ever wanted.

Answer 6

Both mediums absorb or deflect the lower frequency wavelengths of the other colors (light is composed of the full spectrum) leaving just blue.

Answer 7

the sky is blue, water is blue coz of the sky's reflection

http://webexhibits.org/causesofcolor/5B.html

Answer 8

Sky is blue it because the ref lax of O2 in atmosphere , but water is not blue . you say it , because you watch sea . sea is blue because the sky is blue ..

Answer 9

Tyndol effect- Scattering of light.

Answer 10

it has to do with light ray lengths.. Besides... EVERYONE Knows that the sky is GREY!