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Because from the threshold of hearing with a sound pressure p = 20 µPa = 0.00002 Pascal to the threshold of pain with a sound pressure p = 150 pascals, there is a large range.
So we set 0.0002 Pa = 0 dB as the reference pressure and 150 Pa = 137.5 Pa and we have not so large numbers. Decibels (dB) are telling us a ratio.
The level in dB is 20 times log (ratio).
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoSound is really a pressure effect. The sound waves bounce off your ear drums and in a very complicated way you hear noise. Decibels are common method of measuring the magnitude of a physical quantity compared to a reference amount. The scale is a log scale since the range of values is so wide. There have been other ways to measure sound, but decibels is the current accepted standard. It works well and has been adopted as by International Committee for Weights and Measures so we use it.
There is a lot more math, physics and anatomy involved to really understand all that is behind it.
Wiki User
∙ 9y agoIt is simply not true that sound should only be measured in decibels. The pitch of the sound, for example, cannot be measured in decibels. It has to be measured by its frequency or, equivalently, its wavelength. The speed of sound through any medium, the MACH number, is measured in kilometres per hour, or metres per second.
Wiki User
∙ 15y agoThe decibel scale, being logarithmic, is mathematically convenient for describing the wide range of sound intensities that are heard by the typical human ear.
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoSound is measured in decibels because, that is the si unit for it.
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What is the unit for measuring the intensity of a sound?
Loudness N is measured in in sones.Loudness Level NL is measured in phons.Sound pressure level is measured in dBSPL, where the reference level of 0 dBSPL is the threshold of hearing.The ear drums and the microphones are only sensitve to the sound pressure. We measure the sound pressure with a sound level meter.Loudness is affected by sound pressure, frequency and its bandwidth, and duration (time).Usually sound is measured in Decibels.
How do you convert dB to DBi?
You cannot convert DBi to DB because they are not related. DBi is only for decibels in an isotropic radiator, while DB is only for decibels in a dipole antenna.
What is the loudest thing in the world?
The pain threshold for humans is 120-130 Decibels. Any sound above 85 dB can cause hearing loss, and the loss is related both to the power of the sound as well as the length of exposure.Human speech is only registered at about 25-35 decibels.A speaker at a rock concert can reach 135-145 decibels. Fireworks are 145-150 decibels. Gunfire is 145-155. NHRA dragsters reach 155-160 decibels. A space shuttle launch is 165-170. The call of a blue whale (largest and LOUDEST mammal on Earth) can reach 188 decibels. In 1883 Krakatoa, the volcano, erupted and the sound was reported at 180 decibels. The sound was heard almost 3,000 miles away. A 1-ton bomb reaches 210 decibels. A 5.0 on the Richter scale earthquake has a decibel level of 235.The Tunguska event was a massive explosion that occurred near the Podkamennaya (Under Rock) Tunguska River in what is now Krasnoyarsk Krai of Russia, at 7:40 AM on June 30, 1908. The explosion was most likely caused by the air burst of a large meteoroid or comet fragment at an altitude of 5 to 10 kilometers (3-6 mi) above Earth's surface. It was measured with the similar impact of a 1000-Mega-ton bomb with a decibel rating 300-315. This is often considered to be the loudest single-event in history.That might be the loudest noise ever to be made in the world.
What is the amplitude of sound measured as on a logarithmic scale?
I believe that will depend not only on whether the wave is longitudinal, but also on the specific type of wave.
Is acoustic energy same as mechanical energy?
acoustic or sound energy is a kinetic form of energy sound waves can only be measured when they travel through a medium, eich means that they have some velocity and hence acoustic energy is kinetic energy.
What is the unit for measuring the relative intensity or loudness of sound?
Loudness N is measured in in sones.Loudness level LN is measured in in phons.Sound pressure level is measured in dBSPL, where the reference level of 0 dBSPL is the threshold of hearing.The ear drums and the microphones are only sensitve to the sound pressure.We measure the sound pressure with a sound level meter.Loudness is affected by sound pressure, frequency and its bandwidth, and duration (time).Usually sound is measured in Decibels.
What is the unit for measuring the intensity of a sound?
Loudness N is measured in in sones.Loudness Level NL is measured in phons.Sound pressure level is measured in dBSPL, where the reference level of 0 dBSPL is the threshold of hearing.The ear drums and the microphones are only sensitve to the sound pressure. We measure the sound pressure with a sound level meter.Loudness is affected by sound pressure, frequency and its bandwidth, and duration (time).Usually sound is measured in Decibels.
What is the unit for measuring the relative intensity or loudness os sound?
Loudness N is measured in in sones.Loudness Level NL is measured in phons.Sound pressure level is measured in dBSPL, where the reference level of 0 dBSPL is the threshold of hearing.The ear drums and the microphones are only sensitve to the sound pressure. We measure the sound pressure with a sound level meter.Loudness is affected by sound pressure, frequency and its bandwidth, and duration (time).Usually sound is measured in Decibels.
How is the intensity level of sound measured?
How do you measure sound ?Sound is measured in decibels.The sound of a pin dropping is less than 10 decibels, and the hum of a refrigerator is 35 decibels. A loud personal stereo makes about 80 decibels.
What are the highest decibels in a speaker sound exchange?
Sound eXchange is a piece of software which allows you to manipulate files. The decibels produced by the program are only limited by the speakers you have attached to your computer.
What is the unit to measure the loudness of sound?
Loudness is the quality of a sound that is primarily a psychological correlate of physical strength or amplitude. You can try to measure the sound pressure in decibels. Scroll down to related links and look at "Loudness in sones - Wikipedia ", Loudness level in phon - Wikipedia ", and Subjectivly sensed loudness (volume), objectively measured sound pressure (voltage).
How is sound volume measured?
Loudness is the quality of a sound that is the primary psychological correlate of physical strength or amplitude. Loudness is a subjective felt impression and is in some way related to the objective measure (volume) of the sound pressure. You use a sound pressure level meter. Neither our ear drums nor the microphone diaphragms can convert acoustic intensity. Therefore only use the sound pressure for measuring. To measure the loudness feeling is a difficult thing. The loudness of 1 sone equals the loudness level of 40 phons (at 1 kHz).
How many decibels is a blender?
I have a new blender at home that I think is relatively quiet for a blender. I have measured the noise from it with my iPhone as apparently only 60 decibels when standing at a distance of 1 meter away while I was blending fruits with it. Due to this, I think that there is a very large range in the noise levels of different blenders because I have heard people claim that other blenders were 90 decibels at a distance of 1 meter and I only measured my blender as being 60 decibels at that same distance. That is a difference of 30 decibels, which is a huge difference considering that the decibel scale is logarithmic. I think that the newer blenders are probably much quieter than the older blenders were.
Is the Krakatoa the loudest sound ever to be heard on earth?
yes krakatoa is the loudest sound ever recorded at a distance of 160 kilometres 180 decibels at a distance within 12 kilometres 210 decibels and in range has 270 decibels and within crater 300 decibels the explosion of 200 megatons of TNT has over 363 decibels +++ I cannot vouch for the numbers but they would be peak over-pressures because the maximum airborne sound pressure level possible is 194dB re 20µPa. Even if you use 1µPa as the reference pressure you would add only another 26db, making it 220dB re1µPa.
What units are the intensity of sounds measured in?
Our ear drums are moved by the sound pressure. The sound pressure as sound field quantity is measured in pascals or newtons per square meters. Forget the sound intensity (acoustic intensity) as sound power quantity. Only noise fighters need that or if you measure earthquakes. This answer is very good, but, it needs a little bit more information the answer was mostly talking about eardrums so, we would need an answer talking about the topic. when a sound enters the ear canal it travels in and then the sound hits the eardrum and vibrates to make you hear the sound clearly. Then it fianlly it may pass by the anvil.
How can cochlea be damaged by loud sounds?
Yes. Sound is measured by decibels. It is safe to only hear 65 decibels or less. If sound is higher than 65 decibels, it can 95.6% damage your eardrums. Listening to music through your headphones at highest volume from an mp3 or an iPhone is considered 82 decibels. Listening to a concert is considered 167 decibels. A blue whale is 300+. :)
How many decibels does a construction site make?
180 decibels is the loudest. only if all equiptment is on at the same time.
