Why Does Ordinary Water Appear Blue in a White Bucket?

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Water appears blue in a white bucket due to its absorption and scattering properties, not because of the sky. While water is generally clear, it absorbs longer wavelengths of light, allowing shorter blue wavelengths to be scattered more effectively. This phenomenon is enhanced in deeper water, where the blue color becomes more pronounced. Additionally, trace minerals in tap water can contribute to a bluish tint. Thus, the blue appearance of water is a result of its intrinsic properties rather than external factors like the sky.
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blue Water !

i have been told that water is a clear liquid ignooring any impurities, and that the ocean is blue because of the sky. This i am perfectly willing to accept, however if you fill a white bucket full of ordinary water from a tap in a white room with no windows, why does it appear blue?

Thanks, Chris
 
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Typhoon_rising said:
i have been told that water is a clear liquid ignooring any impurities, and that the ocean is blue because of the sky. This i am perfectly willing to accept, however if you fill a white bucket full of ordinary water from a tap in a white room with no windows, why does it appear blue?

Water absobs the other colors somewhat. Clear doesn't necessarily mean colorless. That's also why pictures taken underwater tend to get bluer as you go deeper. In some places, the tap water may also contain trace minerals that make it more blue.
 
The reason water is blue isn't because the sky is blue. It's because the water enhances the scattering of the blue wavelengths. The more water i.e., deeper) the more scattering of blue. That's why shallow water appears clear, deeper water appears green, and deeper water appears blue. Eventually, the visible wavelengths no longer penetrate, and the deepest water is absent of visible light.
 
I have visited http://www.nps.gov/crla/" many times, it is blue whether the sky is cloudy or clear.
 
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Thanks alot, i understand now :D
 
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