Have you ever wondered why the ocean looks blue, but a pond might look green or brown? Water changes color because of a few special reasons!
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Light from the Sun – The sun sends us light in different colors. Water takes in (absorbs) red and yellow light but bounces back (reflects) blue light, so the ocean looks blue!
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Tiny Things in Water – Lakes and rivers have tiny bits of dirt, plants, or even tiny creatures that change the color. A lake with lots of tiny rocks can look bright blue, and water with lots of plants can look green!
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How Deep the Water Is – Shallow water can look clear or sandy because we see the bottom. Deep water looks darker because the light doesn’t reach all the way down!
Next time you see a river, lake, or ocean, look closely—what color is it? 😊
