HS Physics
Hearing and Audiogram Question
This question is about the hearing abilities of two different people, where one is much older than
the other.
Carmen is just able to hear a sound of frequency 1000 Hz when its intensity is $10^{-12}$ W/m$^2$. Her
grandfather, Jorge, cannot hear this sound frequency until its intensity is increased to $10^{-10}$ W/m$^2$.
(a) Determine the ratio
$\frac{\text{amplitude of the sound wave just heard by Carmen}}{\text{amplitude of the sound wave just heard by Jorge}}$
(b) Determine Jorge's hearing loss in dB at this frequency compared with Carmen.
The graph below shows the threshold of hearing for Carmen as a function of frequency.
100
80
60
Intensity level / dB 40
20
0
-20
10
100
1000
10000
Frequency / Hz
(c) Using the data from the graph, state and explain the frequency to which Carmen's ear is most
sensitive.
(d) Using your answer to (b), mark on the graph Jorge's threshold of hearing at a frequency of
1000 Hz.
