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2007-06-09 06:18:45 · 5 answers · asked by parikh 1 in Science & Mathematics Chemistry

5 answers

Here's a site that shows the absorption coefficients of water at different frequencies across a wide spectrum (scroll down about 2/3 of the way down the webpage):
http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/water/vibrat.html
When you look at the graph, you'll notice that water absorbs blue light less than other visible colors of light. That confirms what every diver knows: water is basically "clear", but slightly "blue".

If you are asking why water is basically clear, instead of opaque, then the answer is: our eyes were evolved/created to "see" colors in a narrow range of frequencies, corresponding to low absorption coefficients of atmospheric water. So water is "clear" because our eyes developed in order to make it look "clear".

2007-06-09 06:52:37 · answer #1 · answered by OneMoreTime 3 · 0 0

Pure Mountain Spring Water!

2007-06-09 06:27:25 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0 1

The color of a water sample is caused by both dissolved and particulate material in water, and is measured in Hazen Units (HU). Either of these components can be deeply colored, for instance dissolved organic molecules called tannins can result in dark brown colors, or algae floating in the water ("particles") can impart a green color. But in a lot of cases water is a clear to neutral color due to a lack of pigments in the water. (e.g. the sea)

2007-06-09 06:28:06 · answer #3 · answered by jecafaca 1 · 0 0

pure water does not absorb or reflent visible light in proportion measurable so as the interactions with light are small there is no colour

2007-06-09 06:29:59 · answer #4 · answered by maussy 7 · 0 0

its the way the light goes through it. water just doesnt bend white light enough for color to be seen immediately. however, if you were standing about 50 feet below the surface and looked up, you would see a blue tinge. this is because the water bends/scatters light enough for blue to be separated

2007-06-09 06:28:49 · answer #5 · answered by Fundamenta- list Militant Atheist 5 · 0 0

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