SOLUTION: My daughter has to do a paper on this topic and doesn't know where to begin. Any info would be appreciated:)
The loudness of sound is based on intensity level measured in deci
Question 73794This question is from textbook college algebra
: My daughter has to do a paper on this topic and doesn't know where to begin. Any info would be appreciated:)
The loudness of sound is based on intensity level measured in decibels using a logarithmic scale and is relative to (a ratio of) the weakest sound the ear can hear.
what's the formulaused for measuring sound.
can you give a specific sound, give the decibels of the sound, and explain what this measurement means.
Thanks a bunch!!Any input would help her a great deal..she has searched the web but still nothing to put on her paper! This question is from textbook college algebra
You can put this solution on YOUR website! The loudness of sound is based on intensity level measured in decibels using a logarithmic scale and is relative to (a ratio of) the weakest sound the ear can hear.
:
With sound intensity we can use the decibel formula which compares a sound to
the threshold of hearing which is given as 10^-12. (Io in the formula)
:
D = 10*log(I/Io)
where:
D = level of sound in decibels
I is the sound intensity measured in watts per square meter
Io is the threshold of hearing, which I is to be compared with (usually)
:
Here are some intensity examples, I got out of an old algebra book:
1*(10^-12) Threshold of hearing
5.2(10^-10) Whisper
3.2(10^6) Normal conversation, (ahh, but what is normal??)
8.5(10^-4) Heavy traffic
3.2(10^-3) Jackhammer
1*(10^0) Threshold of pain
8.3(10^2) Jet plane with afterburner
:
An example
Normal conversation is given as I = 3.2(10^-6): Find the Decibel level
D = 10*log
:
D = 10*log(3.2*10^6): Remember 10^-6 divided by 10^-12 = 10^+6
:
D = 10(6.50515); Enter: log(3.2*10^6) on a good calculator)
:
D = 65 decibels is the level of normal conversation
:
Try using this method to find the decibel of a whisper, you should get about
27 decibels
:
:
The reason they use a logarithmic scale is because the ear has an incredible
hearing range. The loudest a healthy person can hear is about a trillion times
the softest sound it can hear. Logs makes comparing these levels manageable.
:
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