Question

When the entire class claps together, a sound meter records 83 dB. What would you expect it to read when half the class claps?

A) 80 dB
B) 81 dB
C) 82 dB
D) 83 dB

Answer 1

When half the class claps, the sound intensity level decreases by 3 dB, so the expected sound meter reading would be 80 dB.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question at hand involves understanding how the decibel (dB) scale works with respect to sound intensity levels. When the sound intensity is halved, as in the case when half of a class claps instead of the entire class, the sound intensity level decreases by about 3 dB. If the entire class clapping results in a reading of 83 dB, halving the number of clappers - and so halving the sound intensity - would result in the sound meter recording a level that is 3 dB less than 83 dB, which is 80 dB.

Therefore, the expected reading when half the class claps is 80 dB.