ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Ocean optics

Okay kiddo, have you ever been to the beach and looked at the water? Ocean optics is all about studying the light in the ocean and how it affects the plants and animals that live there.

You see, light from the sun travels through the air and then into the water. But water is different than air. It can absorb and scatter the light in different ways, kind of like how a magnifying glass can make the sun's rays come together in one spot.

Scientists study ocean optics to learn things like how deep the sunlight can reach, how it affects the growth of plants (like algae), and how it can be used to find and track animals that live in the ocean (like dolphins or sharks).

They use special equipment like sensors, reflectometers, and spectrometers to measure the different properties of the light in the ocean. This helps them better understand how the ocean works and how we can protect it for all the creatures that call it home.