Book 6, Question 4
Why Is the Ocean Blue?
Sunlight looks white, but it is a mix of colors. Water soaks up reds and yellows first. Blue light lasts the longest and bounces back to your eyes.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 6
More fun facts
- Water soaks up red, orange and yellow light more strongly than blue light.
- When sunlight enters the ocean, mostly blue light bounces back out to our eyes.
- The ocean's color and the sky's color are related, but they happen for different reasons.
- Floating plants and bits of sediment can make the ocean look green, yellow or even red.
- Near some coasts, rivers turn the ocean yellow-brown, like where the Mackenzie River in northern Canada meets the sea.
Sources: Scientific American, NOAA Ocean Service, NOAA, NASA Science
Questions kids ask
Can the ocean be other colors?
Yes. Floating plants and sediments can make it look green, yellow or even red.