Why does the ocean water look blue?

Question

anonymous · Answer

Because water is blue.

anonymous · Answer

no its not :P.. 
water is colorless

hint : Sky is blue!

anonymous · Answer

@Mashy: False.

anonymous · Answer

Reflecting blue light from the sky also increases the blue appearance, though.

anonymous · Answer

water is not blue bro.. does the water in your glass appear blue? :p

anonymous · Answer

Water is blue. It is very faint, which is why you need a large thickness of it to notice the blue color. Indoor swimming pools with white tiled floor and walls and ambient white light reflecting off a white ceiling will also have blue water (no sky to reflect).

anonymous · Answer

You are referring to scattering of light by water .. yea .. that's true.. but that depends upon whether he has studied scattering or not!

anonymous · Answer

thats why i skipped that :D

anonymous · Answer

(Via Wikipedia) "The water molecule has three fundamental modes of vibration, including two stretching vibrations of the O-H bonds which occur at v1 = 3650 cm−1 and v3 = 3755 cm−1. Absorption due to these vibrations occurs in the infrared region of the spectrum. The absorption in the visible spectrum is due mainly to the harmonic v1 + 3v3 = 14,318 cm−1, which is equivalent to a wavelength of 698 nm."

i.e. water molecules absorb light at the red end of the spectrum, so therefore reflect blue light.

anonymous · Answer

yes yes selective absorption you are right :)

anonymous · Answer

I am not referring to Rayleigh Scattering. Impure water can have dust that causes scattering that will also intensify the blue hue, but pure water (no scattering) is still blue.