The Homeless and the Environment from a Scientific Perspective:
Living as someone without a home in downtown Portland, OR, or anywhere for that matter means that you have to face the elements. This means rain, hail, lighting, beating down sun, and mosquitoes. Excluding the current pandemic of COVID-19 that is happening right now, homeless people must fight the elements.
Check out the statistics on Portland's weather and imagine living in conditions such as these:
Portland Gets:
- 3-and-a-half feet of rain per year (versus the US average of 3.2 feet)
- 3 inches of snow per year
- In January, faces low temperatures on average of 36˚F
- In summer, the average temperature remains at 81˚F
These are all staggering facts, take a look outside, and imagine that being you out there. A homeless person needs blankets and clothes. With the high amount of rainfall the Portland gets, it makes it difficult to sleep on the streets without a tent to keep the rain out. If water gets into the clothes and or sleeping bag this will decrease the body temperature exponentially increasing the risk of hypothermia. As we all know getting wet makes you cold, this is why on a summer's day it is common for kids to play in the sprinkler to cool off. From a scientific perspective; water will absorb energy from the surrounding environment inducing a phase change from liquid to gas. Key phrase: absorb energy. As the water gets onto your skin it will suck the energy from your body and escape into the gas phase and enter the atmosphere. On top of this, the wind will agitate the water thus increasing the rate at which it does the process of evaporation. Next time you are soaking wet and cold think back to the science behind it and understand that there are those who must face this dreadful aspect nearly every day. If you want more information on the science behind water and how evaporation and wind cause cooling check out this link:
Why does the skin feel cold from water?
Post By: Braden Masanga
These are all staggering facts, take a look outside, and imagine that being you out there. A homeless person needs blankets and clothes. With the high amount of rainfall the Portland gets, it makes it difficult to sleep on the streets without a tent to keep the rain out. If water gets into the clothes and or sleeping bag this will decrease the body temperature exponentially increasing the risk of hypothermia. As we all know getting wet makes you cold, this is why on a summer's day it is common for kids to play in the sprinkler to cool off. From a scientific perspective; water will absorb energy from the surrounding environment inducing a phase change from liquid to gas. Key phrase: absorb energy. As the water gets onto your skin it will suck the energy from your body and escape into the gas phase and enter the atmosphere. On top of this, the wind will agitate the water thus increasing the rate at which it does the process of evaporation. Next time you are soaking wet and cold think back to the science behind it and understand that there are those who must face this dreadful aspect nearly every day. If you want more information on the science behind water and how evaporation and wind cause cooling check out this link:
Why does the skin feel cold from water?
Post By: Braden Masanga
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