Acoustics FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about Acoustics

This FAQ about Acoustics was compiled and written by Andrew Silverman with numerous contributions by others.

DISCLAIMER - NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND WHATSOEVER IS MADE FOR THE FITNESS OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS FAQ.

Aims

To make acoustics accessible to a wider public
To encourage cooperation within the acoustics community

Part I: Resource Pointers

1.1 What acoustic related news groups and FAQs are there ?: acoustics FAQ: What acoustic related news groups and FAQs are there ?

1.2 What World Wide Web sites are there ?: acoustics FAQ: What World Wide Web sites are there ?

1.3 What acoustics software is available on the Net ?: acoustics FAQ: What acoustics software is available on the Net ?

1.4 What acoustics books and journals are there ?: acoustics FAQ: What acoustics books and journals are there ?

Part II: Basic Acoustics

2.1 What is sound ?: acoustics FAQ: What is sound ?

2.2 What is a decibel (dB) ?: acoustics FAQ: What is a decibel (dB) ?

2.3 How is sound measured ?: acoustics FAQ: How is sound measured ?

2.4 What does dB(A) or "A-weighted" mean ?: acoustics FAQ: What does dB(A) or

2.5 How do sound levels add ?: acoustics FAQ: How do sound levels add ?

2.6 How does the ear work ?: acoustics FAQ: How does the ear work ?

2.7 At what level does sound become unsafe ?: acoustics FAQ: At what level does sound become unsafe ?

2.8 What is sound intensity ?: acoustics FAQ: What is sound intensity ?

2.9 How does sound decay with distance ?: acoustics FAQ: How does sound decay with distance ?

2.10 What is the sound power level ?: acoustics FAQ: What is the sound power level ?

2.11 What is the speed of sound in air, water .. ?: acoustics FAQ: What is the speed of sound in air, water .. ?

2.12 What is meant by loudness?: acoustics FAQ: What is meant by loudness?

Part III: Vibration

3.1 What is vibration ?: acoustics FAQ: What is vibration ?

3.2 How is vibration measured ?: acoustics FAQ: How is vibration measured ?

3.3 How is vibration isolated and controlled ?: acoustics FAQ: How is vibration isolated and controlled ?

Part IV: Architectural & Building Acoustics

4.1 What is reverberation time ?: acoustics FAQ: What is reverberation time ?

4.2 What is the sound absorption coefficient ?: acoustics FAQ: What is the sound absorption coefficient ?

4.3 What is the difference between insulation & absorption ?: acoustics FAQ: What is the difference between insulation & absorption ?

4.4 How is sound insulation measured ?: acoustics FAQ: How is sound insulation measured ?

4.5 How do I improve the noise insulation of my house/dwelling?: acoustics FAQ: How do I improve the noise insulation of my house/dwelling?

Part V: Miscellaneous Questions

6.10 What is the doppler effect ?: acoustics FAQ: What is the doppler effect ?

6.11 What is white noise, pink noise ?: acoustics FAQ: What is white noise, pink noise ?

6.1 What is active noise control ?: acoustics FAQ: What is active noise control ?

6.2 What causes a sonic boom ?: acoustics FAQ: What causes a sonic boom ?

6.3 Can you focus sound ?: acoustics FAQ: Can you focus sound ?

6.4 What is sonoluminescence ?: acoustics FAQ: What is sonoluminescence ?

6.5 Why does blowing over a bottle make a note ?: acoustics FAQ: Why does blowing over a bottle make a note ?

6.6 What is pitch ?: acoustics FAQ: What is pitch ?

6.7 What are musical intervals ?: acoustics FAQ: What are musical intervals ?

6.8 What causes "helium voice" ?: acoustics FAQ: What causes

6.9 What is structural acoustics ?: acoustics FAQ: What is structural acoustics ?

Part VI: Appendices

7.0 Index: acoustics FAQ: Index

8.1 Formula for A weighting: acoustics FAQ: Formula for A weighting

9.0 List of National Acoustical Societies: acoustics FAQ: List of National Acoustical Societies

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