Which colors of light are most able to penetrate deep into the ocean and role of forest in maintaining the balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?
Carbon dioxide is also transferred through the air-sea interface. Deep water of the ocean can store carbon dioxide for centuries. Carbon dioxide dissolves in cold water at high latitudes, and is subducted with the water. It stays in the deeper ocean for years to centuries before the water is mixed back to the surface and warmed by the sun. The warm water releases carbon dioxide back to the atmosphere.
Blue light penetrates best; green light is second, yellow light is third, followed by orange light and red light. Red light is quickly filtered from water as depth increases and red light effectively never reaches the deep ocean. Color is due to the reflection of different wavelengths of visible light. The long wavelengths of the light spectrum red, yellow, and orange can penetrate to approximately 15, 30, and 50 meters (49, 98, and 164 feet), respectively, while the short wavelengths of the light spectrum violet, blue and green can penetrate further, to the lower limits of the euphotic zone. Wavelength decreases as energy increases as you move from red to violet light across the color spectrum. Blue light however penetrates the water the best. This is why the ocean can appear in many different shades of blue. Water in the open ocean appears clear and blue because it contains much less particulate matter, such as phytoplankton or other suspended particles, and the clearer the water, the deeper the light penetration. The colors in the middle of the visible spectrum (yellow, green and blue) penetrate seawater to the greatest depth, while colors of longer (violet) and shorter (red and orange) wavelengths are absorbed and scattered more rapidly. The green plants and trees present in the forest utilize carbon dioxide from the environment during the process of photosynthesis and release oxygen into the atmosphere. This oxygen is inhaled by the animals during respiration. Animals release carbon-dioxide during respiration which is absorbed by plants.Plants take up carbon dioxide from air and give out oxygen during photosynthesis. Animals take up oxygen and release carbon dioxide during respiration. This maintains a balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Through photosynthesis, forests absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to produce oxygen, complementing the collective breathing of other life on Earth that inhales oxygen and expels carbon dioxide.