Question

A rock band playing an outdoor concert produces sound at 120 dB 5.0 m away from their single working loudspeaker. What is the sound intensity level 35 m from the speaker?

Answer 1

ANSWER:100dB

from the sound intensity level,the sound intensity is calculated as:

`\beta`₁=
`\beta`=(10dB)㏒₁₀(l₁/l₀)

inserting numbers:

120dB=(10dB)㏒₁₀[l₁/10⁻¹²W/m⁸] or 12=㏒₁₀[l₁/(10⁻¹²)W/m²

Getting the antilog of both sides and obtain 10¹²=l₁(10⁻¹²W/m²)which

can be used to solve for l₁ and get

l₁=(10⁻¹²W/m²)(10¹²)=1 W/m²

since the sound intensity is related to the power and that the power does not change,the sound intensity at any other point can be solved.Plugging-in

ᵃ = 4πr²,into P=l₁ₐ₁=l₂ₐ₂ and get:

l₂=l₁(r₁/r₂)² =(1W/m²)(5/35) =2.04×10⁻²W/m²

since we know the sound intensity at the sound point 2r,the sound intensity level at the point can be solved.We have:

`\beta`₂=
`\beta`=(10dB)㏒₁₀(l₂/l₀)=(10dB)㏒₁₀(2.04×10⁻²/1×10⁻²)

`\beta`₂=(10dB)㏒₁₀(2.04×10¹⁰)

`\beta` =(10dB)[㏒₁₀(2.04)+㏒₁₀(10¹⁰)]=10dB[0.32+10]=103dB=100dB