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For the practically occurring solid angle, we get the following relationships between the sound
power and sound pressure level:
For Q = 1 is LW = Lp + [20 × log10 (r)] + 11 dB (full)
For Q = 2 is LW = Lp + [20 × log10 (r)] + 8 dB (half)
For Q = 4 is LW = Lp + [20 × log10 (r)] + 5 dB (quarter)
For Q = 8 is LW = Lp + [20 × log10 (r)] + 2 dB (eighth)
Example 3.1
Show proof that the SPL and SWL can be related by the following expression:
𝑄𝑄
𝐿𝐿p = 𝐿𝐿W − 10 log
4𝜋𝜋𝑟𝑟 2
Example 3.2
A given sound has the following properties:
• acoustic pressure, p = 0.20 Pa
• acoustic particle velocity, u = 0.488 mm/s
• acoustic intensity, I = 97.6 μW/m2
• acoustic energy density, D = 0.282 μJ/m3
a) Determine the corresponding sound pressure, velocity, intensity and energy density level.
b) Compare and make comment on the values of the intensity level and the sound pressure
level.
3.2 Combination of Sound Levels
There are many situations in which we need to determine the sound level produced by several
sources of sound acting at the same time. Because all levels are defined in terms of energy-like
quantities, all ‘‘levels’’ (sound pressure level, intensity level, power level, etc.) will combine in
the same manner.
The total intensity, for example, is the sum of the intensities for the individual sources, if the
sources produce sound waves that are not exactly in-phase or out-of-phase.
Example: Suppose we have two sources of sound that produce the following intensity levels
when operating alone:
𝐿𝐿I1 = 80 dB = 10 log10 𝐼𝐼1 ⁄𝐼𝐼ref
𝐿𝐿I2 = 85 dB = 10 log10 𝐼𝐼2 ⁄𝐼𝐼ref
We may solve for the individual intensities to obtain the following values:
𝐼𝐼1 = 10−12 10 80⁄10 = 10−4 W⁄m2
𝐼𝐼2 = 10−12 10 85⁄10 = 3.16 × 10−4 W⁄m2
Total intensity when the 2 sources are operating at the same time is the sum of the intensities:
𝐼𝐼 = 𝐼𝐼1 + 𝐼𝐼2 = 4.16 × 10−4 W⁄m2 (3.2.1)
The combined intensity level is:
𝐿𝐿I = 10 log10 4.16 × 10−3 ⁄10−12 = 86.2 dB
The general expression for determining the combination of any set of ‘‘level’’ quantities is:
Example 3.3
Determine the combined sound pressure level (SPL) for four sources with pressure levels of 48
dB, 90 dB, 97 dB and 87 dB respectively.