Water will reflect light at the surface and from suspended matter within the water. I would think that only a very small portion of the light that passes through the surface of a deep body of water that has no suspended solids will be reflected. So the cleaner and deeper the water, the darker it will look.Kolahal Bhattacharya said:I cannot understand what is the colour of water.I was reading an Optics book by Hecht,& suppose that we see coluured bodies due to Dissipative absorption.That is taking up of incident photon,converting a part into thermal energy,and releasing the rest energy as another photon.But, ordinarily we say water colourless.What wavelength is actually emittted?
The mechanism by which light incident upon a body of water will reach our eyes is reflection.Kolahal Bhattacharya said:Sir,I did not understand what you want to say.I think it will be helpful if you provide with the mechanism in which any (possible) wavelength reaches our eyes.
Thank you.
If water has no particles suspended in it, it is transparent: light passes through it. Light does not reflect off the water molecules. The light that reaches the eye from the water is either reflecting off the surfaces or bottom or sides of the container or it is passing through the water. It is not reflecting off the water molecules. The frequency of the light coming through the water to your eye is not materially affected by passing through pure water. So the frequency is whatever the frequency of the light source is. (Lower frequency em radiation such as microwave - radar is a different matter).Kolahal Bhattacharya said:Your logic is understood.Possibly, you have changed something:water will reflect 'light'...
Well,that's fine.But, when you take a glass of drinking water, just look at it, and what colour do you find?It's my question.
If you like, I wish to know the colour of stainless steel,or...
i.e. ordinarily which are said to be colourless.Reflection of course is the mechanism to make us see those objects...but I want to know the wavelength involved.
Please note this
The color of water is typically seen as clear or transparent. This is because water molecules do not absorb any particular wavelengths of light, allowing most of the light to pass through without being absorbed.
Water appears blue in oceans and lakes because of the way light is scattered and absorbed by water molecules. As light enters the water, longer wavelengths like red and orange are absorbed, while shorter wavelengths like blue and green are scattered, giving the water a blue appearance.
The color of water changes with depth due to the amount of light that is able to penetrate the water. As the depth increases, less light is able to reach the bottom, resulting in darker and more saturated colors. In the ocean, the color can change from blue to green to black as you go deeper.
Dissipative absorption is the process by which light is absorbed and converted into heat energy within a substance. In the case of water, some light is absorbed and converted into heat as it passes through, resulting in a small increase in temperature. This process contributes to the overall color of the water.
Yes, the color of water can be affected by pollutants or other substances that are dissolved in it. For example, algae and other microorganisms can give water a green or brown tint, while chemicals and pollutants can change the color to yellow or red. These changes in color can also affect the way light is absorbed and scattered in the water.