Question

Normal conversation has a sound level of about 60 db. How many times more intense must a 100-hz sound be compared to a 1000-hz sound to be perceived as equal to 60 phons of loudness?

Answer 1

5.65 times

Step-by-step explanation:

60 db sound is equal to 60 phons sound when frequency is kept at 1000Hz.

But when the frequency of sound is changed to 100 Hz , according to equal loudness curves , the loudness level on phon scale will be 35 phons.

A decrease of 10 phon on phon- scale makes sound 2 times less loud

Therefore a decrease of 25 phons will make loudness less intense by a factor equal to 2²°⁵ or 5.65 less intense . Therefore intensity at 100 Hz

must be increased 5.65 times so that its intensity matches intensity of 60 dB sound at 1000 Hz frequency.