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To express levels of sound meaningfully in numbers that are more manageable, a logarithmic scale is used, rather than a linear one. This scale is the decibel scale. A noise level chart showing examples of sounds with dB levels ranging from 0 to 180 decibels.
Jan 25, 2022 · In decibels, sound is expressed in (dB). A whisper is about 30 dB, regular talk is about 60 dB, and it is about 95 dB for a motorcycle engine to operate. Noise over 70 dB can start to affect your hearing for an extended period of time. Loud noise above 120 dB will damage your ears instantly.
Sounds at or below 70 dB are considered safe for your hearing. That’s the sound of a normal conversation between two people. Sounds at 80 or 85 dB will damage your hearing over time. And that’s the sound of heavy traffic—from inside a car.
The range of sounds measured on the decibel scale is from 0 dB (the quietest sound) to 140 dB (the threshold of pain). Sounds above 85 dB are considered by specialized organizations like NIOSH (the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) to be dangerous to human hearing.
The decibel (symbol: dB) is a relative unit of measurement equal to one tenth of a bel ( B ). It expresses the ratio of two values of a power or root-power quantity on a logarithmic scale. Two signals whose levels differ by one decibel have a power ratio of 10 1/10 (approximately 1.26) or root-power ratio of 10 1/20 (approximately 1.12 ). [1] [2]
Explore the decibel ranges associated with mild, moderate, severe, and profound hearing loss, empowering you to make informed decisions about your hearing health.
Jun 17, 2024 · Sound levels are most commonly measured in decibels (dB), which range from barely audible to loud enough to cause physical pain. The risk of hearing loss starts at around 70 dB. Exposure to sounds at 85-decibel levels and above damages your hearing.
