SUMMARY
When the distance from a sound power source is doubled, the intensity of the sound measured in watts per square meter decreases by a factor of four, following the inverse square law. Mathematically, if the initial intensity is I, the new intensity at double the distance becomes I/4. In decibels, this corresponds to a decrease of 6 dB, calculated using the formula 10 log10(I2/I1), where I2 is the intensity at the new distance and I1 is the initial intensity.
PREREQUISITES
- Understanding of the inverse square law in physics
- Basic knowledge of sound intensity measurement
- Familiarity with decibel calculations
- Mathematical skills for logarithmic functions
NEXT STEPS
- Study the inverse square law in detail
- Learn about sound intensity and its measurement units
- Explore decibel calculations and their applications
- Investigate real-world examples of sound propagation
USEFUL FOR
Physics students, acoustics engineers, and anyone interested in sound measurement and its properties.
