If one-third of the members of a symphony orchestra are absent because of head colds,thus reducing the overall intensity of sound by 33%,what will be the reduction in the decibel level?
A)15 dB
B)17 dB
C)11 dB
D)1.8 dB
E)4.1 dB

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The decibel level is calculated using the formula 10 * log10(I1/I0), where I1 is the final intensity and I0 is the initial intensity. A 33% reduction in intensity means the final intensity is 67% of the initial, or I1/I0 = 0.67. Plugging this into the formula gives a reduction of approximately 1.8 dB.

If One-Third of the Members of a Symphony Orchestra Are