You would probably be more excited to swim in some of these waters than in others. And the ones that seem cleanest would probably be the most appealing. Whether or not you realize it, you are applying concepts in physics, biology and chemistry to decide whether you should leap in. The color of water offers information about what's in it. As an engineer who studies water resources, I think about how I can use the color of water to help people understand how polluted lakes and beaches are, and whether they are safe for swimming and fishing. These particles are often carried into the water during storms. Any rainfall that hits the ground and doesn't go into the soil becomes runoff, flowing downhill until it reaches an open body of water and picking up loose materials along the way. Particles in water interact with radiation from the Sun shining on the water's surface. The particles can either absorb this radiation or reflect it in a different direction ' a process known as scattering....
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