Can humans hear 120 decibels?
The human ear as a dyamic range from 0dB (threshold) to 120-130 dB. This is true for the middle frequency range (1-2 kHz). For lower or higher frequencies, the dynamic is narrowed.
100 – 120 decibels: For example, a bulldozer, impact wrench, or motorcycle. 120 – 140 decibels: Such as, a rock concert, auto racing, or a hammer pounding a nail. 125 – 155 decibels: Like, firecrackers or fireworks, or a jet engine. 170 – 190 decibels: For example, a shot gun blast or a rocket lift off.
A 90 dB sound is apt to be damaging after more than 8 hours of exposure, while a 95 dB sound will cause damage after four hours. A sound of 115 dB will cause permanent damage after only 15 minutes, and a sound of over 125 dB can instantly cause damage.
The 'normal' hearing frequency range of a healthy young person is about 20 to 20,000Hz. Though a 'normal' audible range for loudness is from 0 to 180dB, anything over 85dB is considered damaging, so we should try not to go there. As we age, it's the upper frequencies we lose first.
How loud is a gunshot? Decibel levels for firearms average between 140 and 165 dB.
Decibel values are thus only linear at first glance – 120 dB seem to be twice as loud as 60 dB. That's not the case, however. The decibel scale is structured logarithmically. For measured values this means that a circular saw is not just twice as loud as talking but that its relative sound pressure is actually approx.
Sounds above 150 dB have the potential of causing life-threatening issues. Sounds between 170-200 dB are so intense that they can cause lethal issues like pulmonary embolisms, pulmonary contusions, or even burst lungs.
A sperm whale's click is 200 decibels, the unit used to measure the intensity of a sound, said Jennifer Miksis-Olds, associate professor of acoustics at Penn State. To give you a sense of the scale, the loudest sound NASA has ever recorded was the first stage of the Saturn V rocket, which clocked in at 204 decibels.
As you can see from the infographic below, a 9mm pistol typically produces around 160 decibels.
Sounds above 150 dB have the potential of causing life-threatening issues. Sounds between 170-200 dB are so intense that they can cause lethal issues like pulmonary embolisms, pulmonary contusions, or even burst lungs. As for exploding heads, you can expect that from sounds above 240 dB.
How far can 130 decibels be heard?
As sound travels, its intensity decreases by about 6 decibels for each doubling of the distance. For example, a 130 dB sound at the source will be 124 dB at 1 meter, 118 dB at 2 meters, and 112 dB at 4 meters.
It's a ridiculously loud "sound". It's not possible as a continuous sound in air because the maximum overpressure is double atmospheric, with the troughs a vacuum, which works out at 194 decibels.
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