TWO questions Distance to exp. 120dB AND Depth of Well

  • Thread starter Thread starter FelicitaH
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Depth
Click For Summary

Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around two physics problems: one involving the calculation of the depth of a well based on the time it takes for a stone to fall and the sound of the splash to be heard, and the other concerning the distance from a loudspeaker at which sound reaches the threshold of pain, measured at 120 dB.

Discussion Character

  • Mixed

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to apply kinematic equations and sound intensity formulas but expresses uncertainty about the next steps in both problems. Participants suggest breaking down the first problem into two parts: the fall time and the sound travel time. For the second problem, they discuss using the intensity level formula and the relationship between intensity and distance.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively engaging with the problems, offering hints and clarifications without providing direct solutions. There is a productive exchange of ideas, with some participants questioning the original poster's calculations and suggesting methods to approach the problems.

Contextual Notes

The original poster mentions specific values such as the speed of sound at a given temperature and the intensity at a certain distance, indicating that these values are part of their calculations. There is an acknowledgment of the complexity of the problems and a desire for further understanding.

FelicitaH
Messages
9
Reaction score
0
TWO questions! Distance to exp. 120dB AND Depth of Well

I've got two questions here. I've worked on both of them, and now I'm stuck...

1)A stone is dropped from rest into a well. The sound of the splash is heard exactly 1.60 s later. Find the depth of the well if the air temperature is 10.0°C.

So, Vnot=0 m/s, delT=1.6s, a=9.8 m/s, temp=10C, and I figured out the speed of sound in 10C to be 337 m/s, but where do I go from here?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

2) An outside loudspeaker (considered a small source) emits sound waves with a power output of 100 W.

I've already found the intensity at 12.5m to be .0509W/m^2, and the intensity level in dB at that distance to be 107.1 dB.

The question now asks: At what distance would you exp. the sound at the threshold of pain, 120dB

Work - which I'm not sure is correct -

B=10 log (I/Iref) Iref = 1.0 x 10^-12
so... 120dB = 10 log (I/Iref)
12=log (I/Iref)
10^12=(I/1.0x10^-12)
10^12/1.0x10^-12= I = 1 m

I don't think that's right... Did I use the correct formula
 
Physics news on Phys.org
-1- a = 9.8m/s^2, not 9.8m/s. Write the equation for the time from drop to hearing the splash as two parts -- the falling of the stone, plus the time for the sound to make it back up. Show your work and we can offer hints if you aren't getting it right.

-2- How did you find the numbers for 12.5m? You would use the same method to solve for the distance where you have 120dB.
 
for the second question:

you can calculate the intensity of the sound with L_{p} = 10 \cdot log \left( \frac {I} {I_{0}} \right).

Then use this I to calculate the distance using I = \frac {P_{source}} {(4\pi r^{2})}
 
Last edited:
So.

1=100/(4*pi*r^2)
4*pi*r^2=100
r^2=100/(4*pi)
r= Sq. root (100/(4*pi) = 2.823 m

You guys have been really helpful and I'm actually understanding the problems more so I did before. I just wish I had found this site earlier in the semester... it probably would have helped my grade -- a lot.
Thanks everyone :)
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
2K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
3K
Replies
1
Views
7K
Replies
3
Views
2K
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
6K
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
5K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
4K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K