Concept explainers
Based on the graph in Figure 17.36, what is the threshold of hearing in decibels for frequencies of 60, 400, 1000, 4000, and 15,000 Hz? Note that many AC electrical appliances produce 60 Hz, music is commonly 400 Hz, a reference frequency is 1000 Hz, your maximum sensitivity is near 4000 Hz, and many older TVs produce a 15,750 Hz whine.
Figure 17.36
The relationship of loudness in phons to intensity level (in decibels) and intensity (in watts per meter squared) for persons with normal hearing. The curved lines are equal-loudness curves—all sounds on a given curve are perceived as equally loud. Phons and decibels are defined to be the same at 1000 Hz.
Want to see the full answer?
Check out a sample textbook solutionChapter 17 Solutions
College Physics
Additional Science Textbook Solutions
College Physics: A Strategic Approach (3rd Edition)
College Physics: A Strategic Approach (4th Edition)
Physics: Principles with Applications
Sears And Zemansky's University Physics With Modern Physics
Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach with Modern Physics (4th Edition)
College Physics (10th Edition)
- What sound levels must sounds of the following frequencies have in order to have the same loudness as a 40 dB sound of frequency 1,000 Hz (that is, to have a loudness of 40 phons)?60 Hz400 Hz10,000 Hzarrow_forwardThe noise level of whisper is 35 dB. The noise level of a loud shout is 110 dB. Howmany times louder is the shout compared to the whisper? Round answers to 1 decimalplace.arrow_forwardA sound wave in air has a frequency of 409 Hz. What is its wavelength? Calculate the wavelength for a sound wave with a frequency of 454 Hz?arrow_forward
- Why can a hearing test show that your threshold of hearing is 0 dB at 250 Hz, when Figure 17.36 implies that no one can hear such a frequency at less than 20 dB?arrow_forwardSound intensity, B. in decibels (d B) is defined as B = 10 log(), where I is the intensity of the sound measured in watts per square metre (") and Io is 10-12 W, the threshold of hearing. Tracey decided that she needed a new vehicle, as her old one was beginning to run poorly and make extremely loud noises while the engine ran. When she got her new vehicle, she measured the relative sound intensities of the vehicles running and found that her old vehicle was 23 times as intense as the sound of her new vehicle. If the decibel level of her new car is 79 d B, what is the decibel level of the old car? Show your full solution method on your work sheet. In the answer field, express your answer to the nearest decibel. Answer:arrow_forwardWhat frequency sound (in Hz) has a 0.300 m wavelength when the speed of sound is 342 m/s?arrow_forward
- What frequency sound has a 0.604 m wavelength when the speed of sound is 309 m/s?arrow_forwardUsing the sound level versus frequency plot with equal-loudness curves shown below, estimate the sound level (in dB) of a 10,000-Hz sound having a loudness of 80 phons.arrow_forwardA child has an ear canal that is 1.3 cm long. At what sound frequencies in the audible range will the child have increased hearing sensitivity?arrow_forward
- What frequency of sound traveling at 20゚C has a wavelength of 1.7 m?arrow_forwardWhat is the loudness, in decibels, of a sound 10 billion times as loud as the softest audible sound?arrow_forwardA sound wave has a wavelength of 5.5 meters as it travels through air at STP. What is the wavelength of this sound in a medium where its speed is 1324 meters per second?arrow_forward
- College PhysicsPhysicsISBN:9781285737027Author:Raymond A. Serway, Chris VuillePublisher:Cengage LearningCollege PhysicsPhysicsISBN:9781305952300Author:Raymond A. Serway, Chris VuillePublisher:Cengage Learning