Attenuation is determined by what two factors?

Attenuation is determined by what two factors?

• A. Path length and Frequency of sound
• B. Amplitude and Phase
• C. Path length and Temperature
• D. Frequency and Humidity

Answer: (A)

Attenuation is the drop in a sound’s amplitude as it travels through a medium. In air, the rate at which the sound fades per unit distance depends mainly on frequency—higher frequencies are absorbed more readily by air molecules, so they lose energy faster as they propagate. At the same time, the total loss increases with the distance the sound travels, because there’s more path over which energy can be removed. Together, these two factors—how far the sound travels and its frequency—determine attenuation. While temperature and humidity can influence how air absorbs sound, the direct, primary determinants you memorize are path length and frequency.

Attenuation is the drop in a sound’s amplitude as it travels through a medium. In air, the rate at which the sound fades per unit distance depends mainly on frequency—higher frequencies are absorbed more readily by air molecules, so they lose energy faster as they propagate. At the same time, the total loss increases with the distance the sound travels, because there’s more path over which energy can be removed. Together, these two factors—how far the sound travels and its frequency—determine attenuation. While temperature and humidity can influence how air absorbs sound, the direct, primary determinants you memorize are path length and frequency.