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Which sound is louder, sound A at 32 sones or sound B at 90dB and 300Hz?

A) Sound A at 32 sones
B) Sound B at 90dB and 300Hz
C) Both equally loud
D) Cannot be determined

User Antijon
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

Comparing sound A at 32 sones and sound B at 90 dB and 300 Hz to determine which is louder is not possible without a specific conversion chart as sones and decibels are different measures of sound with sones being subjective to perception and dB to intensity level (D).

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine which sound is louder between sound A at 32 sones and sound B at 90 dB and 300 Hz, we need to understand the sone and decibel scales. Sones measure perceived loudness, while decibels (dB) measure the intensity level of the sound. Unfortunately, there isn't a direct conversion formula between sones and decibels because sones are a measure of perceived loudness, which is also influenced by the frequency of the sound. A sound at 1 sone is defined as being perceived to be as loud as a pure tone at 40 dB at 1 kHz. Since 32 sones are significantly higher than 1, it would suggest a very loud sound. However, a 90 dB sound is also quite loud, as a typical conversation happens at around 60 dB. Moreover, sounds above 85 dB can cause hearing damage over prolonged exposure.

Without a specific comparison chart or additional data points to provide an exact correlation between the sone scale and the decibel scale at that frequency, we cannot accurately determine whether sound A at 32 sones is louder than sound B at 90 dB and 300 Hz. Thus, the answer to which sound is louder cannot be determined.

User Holstebroe
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