Polytrack temperature relationship

[Gate Dancer]

Originally Posted by joeydb

I know nothing about the properties of polytrack. I've heard synthetic surfaces in general referred to as being on par with "chopped up rubber tires".

In general, the science of thermodynamics dictates that an object having a property known as "specific heat" would cool at about the same rate as it heats at under the same conditions. So if it takes an hour for the surface to rise 10 degrees in direct sunlight, it would take an hour for that surface to cool those same 10 degrees, by air. Obviously cool water would cool the surface faster than that. But once that hose is shut off, if it's 3pm on a hot summer day, the heat is going to rise quickly again, especially when the water evaporates.

Reminds of the days when at many televised MLB games or CFB Saturdays they would have a thermometer on the field to show the temperature at game time. (Astro turf fields) I even vaguely remember hearing a story about some baseball players wearing things in their shoes to help fight the heat coming through. It can't be pleasant to run on for any extended period of time.