Intensity: Two people are talking at a distance of 3.0 m from where you are and you measure the sound intensity as 1.1 × 10^-7 W/m². Another student is 4.0 m away from the talkers. What sound intensity does the other student measure? Assume that the sound spreads out uniformly and undergoes no significant reflections or absorption.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The intensity of sound decreases with the square of the distance from the source. Using the inverse square law: I2 = I1 * (r1/r2)^2, where I1 = 1.1 × 10^-7 W/m^2, r1 = 3.0 m, and r2 = 4.0 m. I2 = 1.1 × 10^-7 * (3/4)^2 = 6.2 × 10^-8 W/m^2.

Intensity: Two People Are Talking at a Distance of 3