Year 12 Stawa Physics Problems 1994 Set 2 1.

Solutions I.F. Ford 1994

A printing works has several identical presses, each producing the same noise intensity. When all machines are operating the increase in noise is 12 dB compared with the noise of only one machine operating. How many machines are there in the works? dB = 10 log 12 = 10 log 1.2 = log = 101.2 = 15.8 15 or 16 machines

2.

A noise inspector uses a sound meter to check the loudness of an aircraft engine. With one engine running her meter reads 100 dB when she stands under the aircrafts tail. If the pilot starts two more engines, what is the inspectors new sound level reading at the same point? dB = 10 log

increase = 10 log

= 5 dB = 105 dB

thus sound level reading = 100 + 5 3.

If you move closer to a rock group in full concert the loudness of the sound changes from 20 dB to 50 dB. By what factor has the energy you receive increased? increase = (50 -20) = 30 dB 30 = 10 log 3 = log = 103 thus the energy increases by a factor of 1000

Year 12 Stawa Physics Problems 1994 4.

Solutions I.F. Ford 1994

During the day you hear many sounds. Some are noises and some are musical notes. What is the difference between a noise and a musical note? A noise has no definite wave form. If the noise continues for any length of time it will have no definite wavelength or frequency. {A musical note sounds like regular frequencies are being produced. There is a quality about the sound. Noise is irregular sound devoid of quality.}

5.

Above is a list of sounds and the decibel rating of each. A student copied the list from a library book. Which decibel ratings did the student probably copy wrongly? refrigerator floor fan washing machine sewing machine lawn mower chainsaw (nearer 30 dB) (nearer 30-40 dB) (equal to a truck?) (is it louder than normal conversation?) (a motor mower would be higher) (probably higher)

{The chain saw is the item which is incorrectly labelled. You would expect the chain saw to have a sound level greater than 50 dB to 70 dB.} 6. A sound engineer is taking sound intensity readings at a rock concert. The meter shows 40 dB. If the intensity suddenly doubles what is the new meter reading in dB? Lnew = Lold + 10 log

= 40

+ 10 log

40 + 10 x 0.30 = 43 dB

7.

A student makes a sound in front of a microphone which he has connected to a cathode ray oscilloscope. He sets the oscilloscope time base to 1 ms per cm, and the vertical gain to 20 dB per cm. The resulting trace looks like the diagram. a. b. c. a. b. c. What is the frequency of the sound? What is the amplitude of the sound? Is it more likely to be a noise or a musical note? Explain your answer. T = 1.95 ms, thus f = amplitude = 40 dB a musical note; the wave trace shows a consistently repeating pattern. = 513 Hz

Year 12 Stawa Physics Problems 1994 8.

Solutions I.F. Ford 1994

A sound engineer takes readings on a noise level analyser and produces the printouts shown. a. b. a. b. Explain which of the printouts is probably an analysis of noise. Explain which of the printouts is probably an analysis of music. A & C because there is no consistent waveform and no regular repetition of the waveform B because there is a consistent waveform and regular repetition of the waveform

9.

Sound technicians often work in acoustic laboratories which have a floor plan like the diagram. Notice that the reverberation chambers have walls, none of which are parallel. Why do these chambers have this deliberate design? Parallel walls allow standing waves to be formed. This means reinforcement at some places and cancellation at others. This means the sounds of the test item will vary in volume and colouration (because where the standing waves form depends on the sound frequency) depending on where you are in the room. This is not desirable if you are trying to reliably measure the sound output of a device. {The walls are not parallel so there can not be a regular reinforcing reflection. With non parallel walls there are many reflections occuring at different intervals so increasing the reverberation.}

10.

The following description of a sound laboratory appeared in a scientific journal article. Room surfaces are made of highly reflective materials. Rooms to not contain any parallel surfaces. The sound pressure level at any point in the room is the same as that at any other point. a. b. a. Why are the room surfaces made of highly reflective materials? Why is it necessary to have the sound pressure level at any point in the room the same as at any other point? If the surfaces were absorbant, only direct sounds (not reflected) would be measured. As the intensity of waves coming from a point source decreases as the square of the distance from the source, the sound level measured would depend on how far you were from the test object. {The room surfaces are made of highly reflective material so sound is reflected and reverberation is at a maximum. This gives sound produced a greater richness.} b. It means a reading can be taken anywhere in the room to measure the sound output of the test device.

Year 12 Stawa Physics Problems 1994 11.

Solutions I.F. Ford 1994

An audiologist tests a patients hearing, producing the audiogram shown. a. b. a. b. Study the audiogram. What is the decibel hearing loss for the patient up to 500 Hz? At what frequency does the patient suffer severe hearing loss? 20 dB > 750 Hz

12.

A sound engineer sets up equipment on a building site to monitor noise. The chart below shows the noise-time history of the building site. a. b. c. a. b. c. What activity on site causes the greatest noise level? What activity causes the loudest prolonged noise? What is the decibel reading for the concrete pouring process? material handling compressor 73-74 dB