Sound level: Which one of the following statements is true?
A) Both the intensity level (in dB) and the sound intensity can never be negative.
B) The intensity level (in dB) obeys an inverse-square distance law, but the sound intensity does not.
C) Both intensity level (in dB) and sound intensity obey inverse-square distance laws.
D) The sound intensity can never be negative, but the intensity level (in dB) can be negative.
E) Both the intensity level (in dB) and the sound intensity can be negative.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The sound intensity is always positive, but the intensity level (in dB) can be negative if the sound intensity is below the reference intensity of 10^-12 W/m^2. Both the intensity level and sound intensity obey inverse-square distance laws. Therefore, option (D) is the correct choice.

Sound Level: Which One of the Following Statements Is True