Final answer:
The ratio of wanted signal to noise floor is known as the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and in terms of sound, a minimal discernible difference in loudness is typically about 3 dB.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ratio of wanted signal to noise floor is commonly referred to as the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). This is a critical measurement in various fields, including communications and audio engineering, as it quantifies the quality of a signal relative to background noise. A higher SNR means that the desired signal is much clearer compared to the noise, leading to better quality reception or sound.
The SNR is closely related to the concept of decibels (dB), which is a logarithmic unit used to express the ratio of two values of a physical quantity, often power or intensity. When comparing two sounds of identical frequency, a minimal discernible difference in loudness typically corresponds to a change of about 3 dB, which implies that the intensity of the louder sound is roughly twice that of the softer sound.
The ratio of the wanted signal to the noise floor is commonly known as the signal-to-noise ratio. It is a measure of how much stronger the desired signal is compared to the background noise. This ratio is often expressed in logarithmic units called decibels (dB), where a higher value indicates a stronger signal relative to the noise.