Decibels and noise-induced hearing lossĭecibels might be just another measuring stick if it weren’t for the damaging effects loud noise inflicts on our hearing. Would struggle to hear sounds quieter than about 50 dB. There are many possible combinations of decibel and frequency loss, all of which can be plotted on an audiogram showing a person's degree of hearing loss, which range from mild to profound: As an example of how this works: A person with moderate hearing loss Some people lose their hearing ability in higher frequencies, and some in the lower frequencies. For example, a person with normal hearing can hear rustling leaves and water dripping (~10 dB), but a person with mild hearing loss could not. Hearing loss is measured, in part, by the lowest level of decibels you are capable of hearing. Measuring hearing loss in decibels: How does it work? Sporting events – 105 to 130 dB (depending upon the stadium).
In daily life, this corresponds to how low- or high-pitched something is. Frequency, reported in Hertz (Hz), measures the number of sound vibrations in one second.It can be measured in two ways: frequency and amplitude. Decibels measure sound intensity (amplitude) How do we measure the intensity of the sounds they make? Behold the humble decibel, a logarithmic way of describing a ratio between things like power, sound pressure and voltage. The soft whisper of a grandchild sharing a secret, the loud blare of a fire truck's siren as it enters the intersection, the soothing melody of your favorite song on the radio.