Question

Decibel is the unit used to measure which characteristic of sound?
A. Pitch
B. Loudness
C. Quality
D. Frequency

Answer 1

Hint:Sound is a kind of vibration in the form of mechanical waves which propagates through either solid, liquid or gaseous medium. The rate of propagation of sound is highest in solids and slowest in gases. It is a form of energy produced when an object vibrates.

Complete answer:
The sound possesses different characteristics such as pitch, loudness and the quality of sound. The loudness of sound is a measure of the intensity of sound. It depends upon the amplitude of the sound wave. If the amplitude of the sound wave is high, then the sound is considered as loud.

The loudness of the sound wave is directly proportional to that of the square of the amplitude of that wave. The loudness of sound is measured in decibels (dB). Therefore, louder the sound, higher is the decibels. The decibel is the logarithmic unit and applicable in electronics and telecommunication.

On a decibel scale, 0 dB is a smallest unit, which is equal to silence. On a decibel scale, if the decibel level increases by 10 then the actual increase in sound is 10 times more intense. A sound above 85dB can cause hearing loss on prolonged exposure.

Therefore, decibel is the unit used to measure the loudness of the sound.Hence, the correct option is option B.

Note: Noise and sound are different. Sound is basically vibration travelling from one medium to another in a continuous manner. On the other hand, noise can be described as an unpleasant sound and it causes disturbance. The prolonged exposure to noise may lead to loss of hearing and other health issues. The difference between a pleasant sound and an unpleasant noise depends upon the listener. Noise is also considered as one of the most common occupational hazards.