Enter the pressure, reference pressure, and sound pressure level into the calculator to determine the missing variable.
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Db To Pressure Formula
The following formula is used to calculate the pressure for a given sound pressure level and reference pressure.
P = P₀ * 10^{(L/20)}Variables:
- P is the pressure in Pascals
- P₀ is the reference pressure in Pascals
- L is the sound pressure level in decibels (dB)
To calculate the pressure, multiply the reference pressure by 10 raised to the power of the sound pressure level divided by 20.
| Decibels (dB) | Pressure (Pa) |
|---|---|
| -20 | 0.000002 |
| -10 | 0.00000632 |
| 0 | 0.00002 |
| 10 | 0.0000632 |
| 20 | 0.0002 |
| 30 | 0.000632 |
| 40 | 0.002 |
| 50 | 0.00632 |
| 60 | 0.02 |
| 70 | 0.0632 |
| 80 | 0.2 |
| 85 | 0.356 |
| 90 | 0.632 |
| 94 | 1.002 |
| 100 | 2.000 |
| 110 | 6.325 |
| 120 | 20.00 |
| 130 | 63.246 |
| 140 | 200.0 |
| 150 | 632.456 |
| *Assumes air reference sound pressure p_ref = 20 µPa (2.0×10⁻⁵ Pa). Formula: p = p_ref × 10^(L/20). | |
What is Sound Pressure Level?
Sound pressure level (SPL) is a measure of the pressure of a sound wave relative to a reference value. It is usually measured in decibels (dB) and is used to quantify the intensity of sound. The reference pressure is typically the threshold of hearing, which is 20 micropascals in air. SPL is an important parameter in acoustics and audio engineering, as it helps in understanding how loud a sound is perceived by the human ear. The formula for calculating SPL involves taking the logarithm of the ratio of the sound pressure to the reference pressure and multiplying it by 20.
How to Calculate Sound Pressure Level?
The following steps outline how to calculate the Sound Pressure Level.
- First, determine the pressure (P) in Pascals.
- Next, determine the reference pressure (P₀) in Pascals.
- Next, calculate the sound pressure level using the formula L = 20 * log10(P / P₀).
- Finally, calculate the Sound Pressure Level.
- After inserting the values and calculating the result, check your answer with the calculator above.
Example Problem :
Use the following variables as an example problem to test your knowledge.
Pressure (P) = 2 Pascals
Reference Pressure (P₀) = 20 micropascals