Final answer:
When the sound level increases from 50 dB to 60 dB, the pressure amplitude increases by a factor of about 3.16, as intensity is proportional to the square of pressure amplitude.
Step-by-step explanation:
If the sound level in a room is increased from 50 dB to 60 dB, the pressure amplitude of the sound wave increases by a certain factor. The sound intensity level is logarithmically related to the sound pressure amplitude. A 10 dB increase in sound level corresponds to a 10 times increase in sound intensity. However, the relationship between the pressure amplitude and the intensity is given by the square root since the intensity of a sound wave is proportional to the square of its pressure amplitude.
Therefore, when the intensity increases by a factor of 10, the pressure amplitude increases by the square root of 10. For a 10 dB increase, from 50 dB to 60 dB, the pressure amplitude increases by the square root of 10, which is approximately 3.16. This indicates that with a 10 dB increase in sound level, the sound wave's pressure amplitude is increased by a factor of about 3.16.