Question

Explain the di erence between sound intensity and sound intensity level in terms of what they measure

You're listening to two speakers. One plays a 440 Hz tone, and the other plays a 442 Hz tone, both at the same volume. Name the kind of interference you'd hear, and describe how the volume of the sound you hear would vary, as speci cally as possible

You're standing at rest on the oor. If you then rise up on your ptoes, will this increase the force you exert on the oor, the pressure you exert, neither, or both? Explain without math or equa ons

Answer 1

Sound intensity is the power carried by the wave per unit area in a plane perpendicular to the direction of sound. The unit of sound intensity is W/m​​​​​​2. Sound intensity level is a measure of the intensity if sound compared to a standard sound intensity. The unit of sound intensity level is decibel(dB).

The interference of sound waves of nearly similar frequency is called beats. The resultant wave would have a frequency equal to the difference in frequency between the two waves. The loudness of the beats sound would be more than the loudness of the single sound. The loudness becomes high and low with a frequency of,

f = 442 Hz-440 Hz

= 2Hz

When the person is standing in the floor, the force exerted by the person on the floor is equal to the gravitational force of attraction exerted by the earth on the person. When the person rises on the toe, the centre of gravity rises, but the motion of the centre of gravity is not considered after the person is at rest on the toes. The force exerted on the ground remains same.

Pressure, P= Force/Area

When the person rises on toes, the area of contact of the person on the ground decreases. So, the pressure exerted on the ground increases.