The condition affecting water's ability to transmit light due to suspended particles is known as what?

The condition affecting water's ability to transmit light due to suspended particles is referred to as turbidity. Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by large numbers of individual particles that may be suspended throughout the water column. This can include sediments, microorganisms, organic matter, or other materials that scatter and absorb light, thereby reducing the clarity of the water.

When turbidity is high, the ability of light to penetrate through the water is diminished, which can adversely affect aquatic life by limiting the growth of aquatic plants that rely on sunlight for photosynthesis. High turbidity can also impact water quality by altering temperature profiles and affecting the behavior and health of fish and other aquatic organisms.

In contrast, clarity refers to the transparency of water and is often influenced directly by turbidity, but it measures the degree of visibility rather than the suspended particles themselves. Sedimentation is the process by which particles settle at the bottom of a body of water, which is a consequence of turbidity rather than the condition itself. Pollution describes a broader range of contaminants and adverse environmental impacts but does not specifically address the aspect of light transmission caused by suspended particles. Thus, turbidity is the most accurate term for the condition described in the question