What Is Sound Measured In

Decibel measurement. Gauge with green needle pointing 30 dB, concept of noise reduction

Has a noisy situation ever left you grimacing and clutching your ears? Why do some sounds seem so loud? Many factors influence how loud a sound seems, including how long it lasts, the sound's frequencies (or pitches), and the environment in which you lot hear the sound. Another important and easily measured factor is sound intensity, or volume.

We measure audio intensity (also referred to as audio power or sound force per unit area) in units called decibels. Decibels (dB) are named in honor of Alexander Graham Bong, the inventor of both the telephone and the audiometer. An audiometer is a device that measures how well a person can hear sure sounds. A modern version of information technology is withal used today to diagnose hearing loss.

Decibels are different from other familiar scales of measurement. While many standard measuring devices, such as rulers, are linear, the decibel scale is logarithmic. This kind of scale better represents how changes in sound intensity actually feel to our ears. To empathise this, think of a building that is eighty anxiety tall. If nosotros build up another 10 anxiety, the building will be 12.5 per centum taller, which would seem just slightly taller to us; this is a linear measurement. Using the logarithmic decibel scale, if a audio is 80 decibels, and we add another 10 decibels, the sound will be 10 times more than intense, and will seem about twice every bit loud to our ears.

Sometimes nosotros apply different versions of decibels. A-weighted decibels, or "dBA," are often used when describing audio level recommendations for healthy listening. While the dB scale is based just on sound intensity, the dBA calibration is based on intensity and on how the man ear responds. Considering of this, dBA gives usa a better thought of when sound tin can damage your hearing.

The cochlea is a snail-shaped organ inside your inner ear that allows you to hear. The cochlea can respond to a sure range of frequencies, or pitches of audio. (Read more about how we hear or watch a video on how audio travels to the brain.) The cochlea responds best to frequencies in the range of human speech. Information technology doesn't answer as well to frequencies that are much higher or lower. When sounds incorporate frequencies are too loftier or besides low for us to hear—equally in ultrasonic and infrasonic sounds—our cochlea doesn't respond at all.

In the frequencies that our ears respond to best, measurements for dBA are just every bit high as they are in dB. For instance, the loftier-pitched Eastward string on a violin has very similar dB and dBA levels. Nevertheless, a lower frequency audio that isn't candy as effectively through the ear will have a lower output level. For example, the lowest note on a tuba (16Hz) will accept a much lower dBA reading than a dB reading.

Even small increases in dBA level can take a big touch on on your hearing health. Every bit dBA rises, your hearing is more likely to be damaged, and more quickly than you might look. Sound is more likely to damage your hearing if information technology is:

85 dBA and you are exposed to it for at to the lowest degree 8 hours.
100 dBA and you are exposed to it for at least 14 minutes.
110 dBA and you are exposed to it for at least 2 minutes.

Graphic of a girl wearing headphones, text:Headphones 94-110dBA; A boy in a sporting event, text: sporting event 94-110 dBA; Fireworks 140-160 dBA

You can measure sounds in dBA yourself with a audio level meter, such as this app made past the National Constitute for Occupational Safety and Health. The app can measure sounds from 0 dBA (sounds so tranquillity you tin barely hear them) to whispering (30 dBA), normal conversation (sixty-70 dBA), and even a jet taking off (140 dBA). Just remember to turn down the volume, move abroad from the dissonance, or wear hearing protectors, specially when the sound level is at or well-nigh 85 dBA!