Example 17.2 Hearing Limits
The faintest sounds the human ear can detect at a
frequency of 1 000 Hz correspond to an intensity of
about 1.00 & 10* 12 W/m2—the so-called threshold of hearing.
The loudest sounds the ear can tolerate at this frequency
correspond to an intensity of about 1.00 W/m2—
the threshold of pain. Determine the pressure amplitude
and displacement amplitude associated with these two
limits.
Solution First, consider the faintest sounds. Using Equation
17.6 and taking v # 343 m/s as the speed of sound
waves in air and ! # 1.20 kg/m3 as the density of air, we obtain
# 2.87 & 10*5 N/m2
# !2(1.20 kg/m3)(343 m/s)(1.00 & 10*12 W/m2)
'Pmax # !2!vI
Because atmospheric pressure is about 105 N/m2, this result
tells us that the ear is sensitive to pressure fluctuations as
small as 3 parts in 1010!
We can calculate the corresponding displacement amplitude
by using Equation 17.4, recalling that ) # 2,f (see
Eqs. 16.3 and 16.9):
This is a remarkably small number! If we compare this result
for smax with the size of an atom (about 10*10 m), we see
that the ear is an extremely sensitive detector of sound waves.
In a similar manner, one finds that the loudest sounds
the human ear can tolerate correspond to a pressure amplitude
of 28.7 N/m2 and a displacement amplitude equal to
1.11 & 10*5 m.
# 1.11 & 10*11 m
smax #
'Pmax
!v)
#
2.87 & 10*5 N/m2
(1.20 kg/m3)(343 m/s)(2, & 1 000 Hz)