Question

A piece of machinery produces a noise of 103 dB at a distance of 2 meters. However, workers are not allowed to be exposed to more than 85 dB.

1. By what factor would hearing protection need to reduce the intensity (power/area) of the machine noise?

2. Assuming that the machine is producing noise equally in all directions, how far way from the machine would hearing protection no longer be required?

3.The machine has a mechanical failure and produces four times more noise (power/area) than normal. What happens to the decibels?

Answer 1

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