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Proving the Effects of Surfaces on Urban Heat Island Effects
Organization(s):Ottawa Hills Jr/Sr High School
Country:United States of America
Student(s):Audrey Kelm and Shannon McCain
Grade Level:Secondary School (grades 9-12, ages 14-18)
GLOBE Member(s):, Gloria Kreischer Gajewicz
Contributors:none
Report Type(s):Virtual Science Symposium Report
Protocols:Surface Temperature, Clouds
Presentation Poster:
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Language(s):English
Date Submitted:2026-02-02
Understanding Urban Heat Islands is very important to understanding urban planning in city life. Understanding this subject is not only important to science, but everyday life for the majority of people. In this study, we tested surface temperatures of natural and unnatural objects/areas to find what emits more heat, and why. This study was conducted using surfaces of grass, asphalt, concrete, and brick. Our independent variable was the surface type, while the dependent was surface temperature. Our results indicated that more natural surfaces, like grass, emit less heat as it cools down easier. The procedures of the study results in the idea of natural surfaces being able to emit less heat, while non natural ones emit more.