Final answer:
The faintest sound you can hear determines your absolute threshold for hearing, which is the minimum audible level of a sound that can be detected 50% of the time.
Step-by-step explanation:
The faintest sound you can hear determines your absolute threshold for hearing. This threshold represents the minimum amount of sound energy that must be present for the sound to be detected 50% of the time. It is a testament to the sensitivity of our sensory system, which allows the hair cells in the inner ear to detect sounds at incredibly low intensities, such as the tick of a clock 20 feet away under quiet conditions. The faintest sound that can be registered by the human ear is about 0 dB, which is the threshold of hearing.