Stupidity help: why is the sky blue and the ocean blue. - Help.com



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why is the sky blue and the ocean blue.

I might sound dumb but shouldnt the ocean be clear and the sky black?

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Dreamer-Eliewved offline Verified User (10 months) Long Term User Shouts: 164 #
Cornsay, D8, GB | 3 months, 2 weeks ago (2 minutes after post)

The atmosphere is the mixture of gas molecules and other materials surrounding the earth. It is made mostly of the gases nitrogen (78%), and oxygen (21%). Argon gas and water (in the form of vapor, droplets and ice crystals) are the next most common things. There are also small amounts of other gases, plus many small solid particles, like dust, soot and ashes, pollen, and salt from the oceans.

The composition of the atmosphere varies, depending on your location, the weather, and many other things. There may be more water in the air after a rainstorm, or near the ocean. Volcanoes can put large amounts of dust particles high into the atmosphere. Pollution can add different gases or dust and soot.

The atmosphere is densest (thickest) at the bottom, near the Earth. It gradually thins out as you go higher and higher up. There is no sharp break between the atmosphere and space.

The blue color of the sky is due to Rayleigh scattering. As light moves through the atmosphere, most of the longer wavelengths pass straight through. Little of the red, orange and yellow light is affected by the air.

However, much of the shorter wavelength light is absorbed by the gas molecules. The absorbed blue light is then radiated in different directions. It gets scattered all around the sky. Whichever direction you look, some of this scattered blue light reaches you. Since you see the blue light from everywhere overhead, the sky looks blue.

As you look closer to the horizon, the sky appears much paler in color. To reach you, the scattered blue light must pass through more air. Some of it gets scattered away again in other directions. Less blue light reaches your eyes. The color of the sky near the horizon appears paler or white.

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Nante offline Verified User (4 months) Long Term User Shouts: 474 #
An Undisclosed Location | 3 months, 2 weeks ago (2 minutes after post)

so the sky is blue because of the atmosphere and the ocean reflects it?

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mumstheword offline Verified User (4 months, 3 weeks) Long Term User Shouts: 42 #
An Unknown Location | 3 months, 2 weeks ago (2 minutes after post)
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Dreamer-Eliewved offline Verified User (10 months) Long Term User Shouts: 164 #
Cornsay, D8, GB | 3 months, 2 weeks ago (3 minutes after post)

A clear cloudless day-time sky is blue because molecules in the air scatter blue light from the sun more than they scatter red light. When we look towards the sun at sunset, we see red and orange colours because the blue light has been scattered out and away from the line of sight.
http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics…

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Dreamer-Eliewved offline Verified User (10 months) Long Term User Shouts: 164 #
Cornsay, D8, GB | 3 months, 2 weeks ago (4 minutes after post)

Sunlight is made up of all the colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. Some of the sunlight is reflected off the surface of the water, reflecting the color of the sky. Some of the sunlight penetrates the water and is scattered by ripples and particles in the water (this tinges the appearance of the ocean with the color of the particles). In deep water, much of the sunlight is scattered by the oxygen in the water, and this scatters more of the blue light.

Water absorbs more of the red light in sunlight; the water also enhances the scattering of blue light. Sir Chandrasekhar Venkata Raman (an Indian physicist) won the Nobel prize in 1930 for his work on light.

Some Oddly-Colored Seas:
The Red Sea often looks red because of red algae that live in this sea.
The Black Sea looks almost black because it has a high concentration of hydrogen sulfide (which appears black).

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Nante offline Verified User (4 months) Long Term User Shouts: 474 #
An Undisclosed Location | 3 months, 2 weeks ago (10 minutes after post)

You know what this is way to confusing so here is an easier answer:

The sky and ocean are blue because, the end.

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Dreamer-Eliewved offline Verified User (10 months) Long Term User Shouts: 164 #
Cornsay, D8, GB | 3 months, 2 weeks ago (12 minutes after post)

lol. nice 1

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Mas1st offline Verified User (6 months, 3 weeks) Help.com Volunteer Moderator Long Term User Shouts: 412 #
An Unknown Location | 3 months, 2 weeks ago (20 minutes after post)

This one is even simpler - go to the ocean and take out a cup of water - it’s not blue - Mas

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Nante offline Verified User (4 months) Long Term User Shouts: 474 #
An Undisclosed Location | 3 months, 2 weeks ago (23 minutes after post)

hahaha

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