Enter the sound intensity (W/m^2) into the calculator to determine the sound intensity in decibels.
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Decibel Formula
The following formula is used to calculate the total number of decibels from the sound intensity level.
B = 10 * log ( I / I0 )
- Where B is the sound intensity decibels
- I is the sound intensity (W/m^2)
- I0 is the reference sound intensity (equal to 10-12 W/m^2 for ambient noise)
To calculate the decibels, multiply 10 by the logarithm of the ratio of the sound intensity to the reference sound intensity.
Decibel Definition
A decibel is a unit of measure that defines the intensity of a sound pressure wave.
Decibel Example
Calculating decibels is typically a process of converting a sound intensity in one unit to another. This can be seen through the formula above that converts W/m^2 into decibels. Since decibels are a measure of the difference of sound pressures, a reference sound pressure must be given.
FAQ
A decibel is a unit of measure of the intensity of sound. It’s also a measure of the intensity of the power of an electrical signal.
The human ear can safely endure levels of less than 80 dBA. Any louder and extended exposure will likely lead to ear damage.
