Why Do Oceans Have Different Colors?

The ocean can look different colors depending on what's in the water and how the sunlight hits it. If there are lots of tiny plants, like algae, the water looks green. If the water is deep and clear, it looks blue because the blue light stays inside the water longer. And if there’s a lot of dirt or sand mixed in, the ocean can look brown or even black.

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Examples

  1. A sunny day at a beach with clear blue water
  2. A green sea near a place with lots of algae
  3. A murky river where the ocean looks brown

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