Why does light not penetrate deeply into ocean waters?

Light does not penetrate deeply into ocean waters primarily because it is absorbed by the water itself. As light travels through water, it encounters water molecules that absorb specific wavelengths of light. This absorption is most effective in the red and infrared regions of the spectrum, which means that these wavelengths are quickly diminished with depth. Consequently, as light goes deeper into the ocean, its intensity decreases significantly, making it challenging for light to reach greater depths.

While scattering and reflection do play roles in how we perceive light in water, they are not the primary reasons for the limited penetration of light into the ocean. Scattering is more related to particles in the water and affects how we perceive colors and visibility, while reflection refers to the way light bounces off the surface of the water, which affects surface lighting but does not impact deep light penetration. Temperature changes can influence the water's properties, but they do not primarily determine how deeply light can penetrate.