The sound is inherently very interesting and deserves close attention. Over time, many scientists struggled over various riddles, gradually unraveling all its secrets. We are literally surrounded by sounds, and deep and absolute silence is also unnatural for us, and sometimes harmful, like a loud sound. At the same time, sound waves can affect surrounding objects and a person, sometimes this influence can be dangerous and harmful, but in some cases it can be used for good. You just need to figure out what sound pressure is.
Sound arises as a result of particle vibrations, generating sound waves. In a sense, these waves can be considered elastic, they can generate certain mechanical vibrations in the media through which they pass. It is this effect that is called pressure. A person can perceive it with his senses, it is sometimes tangible enough to feel it fully.
When a sound wave passes through a specific medium, it will generate excess pressure in it , caused by the specific influence of the oscillating particles. Each medium has its own internal pressure, and sound waves, as a rule, cannot exceed it.
Sound pressure and sound pressure
There are two concepts in the definition of which there is constant confusion; these are sound pressure and sound pressure. We have already figured out the first concept above - this is the pressure that arises in a certain medium when sound waves pass through it. Sound pressure is the pressure experienced by an object placed in the range of a loud sound.
These two concepts are close, but the only difference is where exactly this or that phenomenon occurs. These terms not only have slightly different definitions, but they are also bred among themselves both in scientific experiments and in the domestic sphere.
Sound pressure characteristics
As you know, the speed of sound may vary depending on specific conditions and the environment. This must be taken into account when studying various phenomena, especially when sound pressure is studied. Since the sound wave is constantly in motion, the pressure is also changeable. This is some instantaneous value, however, when studying, a certain average value is taken.
The study of this phenomenon leads directly to such a concept as the sound pressure level. Scientists have long compiled some scale, which is guided by when determining the degree of impact of sound, as well as its potential threat to humans, to determine which created a sound pressure meter.
For a person, the noise level is 120 dB, while the pressure reaches a certain average pain threshold, above which injuries can already occur. This is the sound of a working jackhammer in close proximity to a person.
At 140 dB, a person begins to experience pain, he may experience an injury to his inner ear. Such noise can be compared with that experienced by a person who is at a distance of 25 meters from the take-off fighter. Already 150 dB threaten a person with concussion and loss of orientation, such a noise is emitted by the Russian SOYUZ rocket at a distance of 100 meters. Another 10 dB and noise level will be comparable to a shot from a gun in the immediate vicinity of a person’s ear. Instant trauma and rupture of the inner ear, shell shock.
If a person experiences sound pressure close to 200 dB, then this can become fatal for him, because in this case it becomes equal to atmospheric, which means that a person may experience vascular rupture, lung damage, etc. 250 dB - sound pressure comparable in strength to a shock wave during an explosion. And 282 dB is approximately comparable to the air pressure arising from a nuclear explosion.