Kids' Science Challenge: Winners - Claire: The Pulse of the Planet daily radio program offers free legal online mp3 downloads, exploring the world of sound in nature, culture and science, with audio adventures, world music, extraordinary sound portraits, science diaries, and nature ring-tones; an amazing sonic experience.



Airdate: Jun 09, 2009
Scientist: Claire Dworsky

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 ECOLOGY ,Water Quality ,Urban Ecology


Kids' Science Challenge: Winners - Claire

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Does artificial turf pollute more than a grass field during a rainstorm? Only one way to find out!
Transcript:

music; ambience Claire playing soccer

Get it Claire; get it, get it!

JM: Claire Dworsky started playing soccer when she was 3 years old. Now shes in the 3rd grade, and her experiences on the soccer field led her to enter the Kids Science Challenge. Im Jim Metzner, and this is the Pulse of the Planet. In Claires California neighborhood, theres been a shift from grass fields to artificial turf, and when the rain hit the turf, it got Claire thinking.

CD: And I look down, and I see that theres water, this turf water compared to grass water, looks different, and so thats why Im trying to figure out whats going on.

JM: Claire proposed testing water runoff from both grass and artificial turf, to see if theres a difference. Her idea took top honors in the Kids Science Challenge water category, and shell meet with oceanographer Adina Paytan to test dozens of samples from different fields. Until then, Claire has made a few observations.

JM: How does it look different; how would you describe the difference, Claire?
CD: Well, I the grass field is a little more whiter. And the turf field is a little bit more darker.
JM: Any idea what you think it could be?
CD: I think inside the turf water theres rubber. And in the grass water theres probably a little bit of germs. Does the turf field pollute more than the grass field?
JM: And what do you think? Do you think it does or not?
CD: I, personally I dont think so.

JM: To find out if turf fields pollute more than grass fields, log on to KidScienceChallenge.com and follow Claire as she and Adina Paytan analyze water samples to come up with some answers.

Pulse of the Planets Kids Science Challenge is made possible by the National Science Foundation. Im Jim Metzner.







 
Kids' Science Challenge: Winners - Claire