Find Pressure amplitude from given decibels

[Angie_Agnes]

Homework Statement

A sound wave has an intensity level of 49 dB. What is the pressure amplitude of this wave?

Po= 2x10^-5

Homework Equations

β=10log(I/I0)
I≈P^2

The Attempt at a Solution

I can't figure out why I'm getting this problem wrong. So I set it up, 49=10log(I/I0)
-> 4.9=log(I/I0) -> 10^4.9=(I/I0) From there, I replaced the intensity for pressure amp (equation 2) -> p=(2*10^-5)√(10^4.9)
Pamp=.0056Pa

??

 

[I like Serena]

Hi Angie_Agnes!

You calculation looks good.
Any reason to doubt your result?

 

[Angie_Agnes]

yes, it's online homework and says it's wrong :(

 

[I like Serena]

Well, I think you have to tweak your result a bit then.
I believe it is numerically correct, but these online homework sites can be a bit difficult with the exact phrasing.
Btw, I'm assuming you did not make a typo in the problem statement...

 

[Angie_Agnes]

I copied and pasted the question, so no typo... I typed it in as .005 Pa and .006Pa and both came up wrong. Frustrating!

 

[I like Serena]

With 2 significant digits in 49 dB, it should be 0.0056 Pa or 5.6 mPa.
I can't make anything else from it.

 

[Angie_Agnes]

THANK YOU! got it right as .0056Pa. Awesome!

 

[I like Serena]

Huh? But that is your original answer from your opening post!

 

[Angie_Agnes]

I looked back at my past answers, I had entered it .005 and .006 at first, before entering it finally as .0056.

 

[I like Serena]

All is well that ends well!