What does turbidity measure in water?

Turbidity measures the clarity of water, specifically indicated by its resistance to the passage of light. When a water sample has high turbidity, it contains suspended particulate matter, which scatters and absorbs light instead of allowing it to pass through clearly. This can include sediments, algae, and other microscopic organisms or particles.

Understanding turbidity is crucial because it can affect aquatic life by reducing light penetration, which is necessary for photosynthesis in submerged plants and can lead to habitat degradation. Additionally, high turbidity levels can indicate that harmful pollutants or pathogens might be present, as the same particles that cause turbidity can carry pathogens.

While other options relate to characteristics of water quality, they do not specifically address what turbidity measures. The concentration of nutrients, presence of dissolved solids, and organic pollution levels are important factors in water quality, but they do not pertain directly to the measurement of turbidity itself.