Question

Your boss asks you to design a room that can be as soundproof as possible and provides you with three samples of material. The only information on each sample's label is the material's coefficient of absorption. The coefficient of absorption listed on Sample A is 30%, on Sample B is 47%, and on Sample C is 62%. When your boss asks for your choice and the reasoning behind it, what would you tell him?

A. Sample A would be best, because the percentage of the energy in an incident wave that remains in a reflected wave from this material is the largest.

B. Sample A would be best, because the percentage of the energy in an incident wave that remains in a reflected wave from this material is the smallest.

C. Sample C would be best, because the percentage of the energy in an incident wave that remains in a reflected wave from this material is the smallest.

D. Sample C would be best, because the percentage of the energy in an incident wave that remains in a reflected wave from this material is the largest

Answer 1

Sample C would be best because the percentage of the energy in an incident wave that remains in a reflected wave from this material is the smallest

Answer 2

Answer: Option C

To create soundproof room, a material would be required that could absorb maximum sound and reflects out least. It means, the material sample which has maximum absorption coefficient should be the choice. It is given that the coefficient of absorption of sample A is 30%, of Sample B is 47% and sample C is 62%. The largest coefficient of absorption is of sample C. Hence, Sample C would be the best choice because it has largest coefficient of absorption out of three; which means that the percentage of the energy in an incident wave that remains in the reflected wave would be the smallest.