Good Practices on the Control of Noise from Electrical & Mechanical Systems
 

Glossary of Acoustic Terminology

A-Weighted Decibel (dB(A))

- The A-weighted decibel is a unit for measuring noise taking into account the way human ear responds to sound.

Air-borne Noise

- Noise arrives at a point of interest by propagation through air.

Frequency

- The number of repetitive variations of sound pressure per unit of time which is usually stated in Hertz (Hz).

Noise

- Noise is any sound which at the time of reception is unwanted or disturbing.

Sound Power Level

- A measure, in decibels, of the total acoustic power radiated by a given sound source. It is independent of any reference distance or other extraneous factors.

Sound Pressure Level

- A measure, in decibels, of the sound pressure at a particular point. It is dependent upon distance from the source and many other extraneous factors.

Structure-borne Noise

- Noise arrives at a point of interest by propagation through a solid structure.