How much more intense is a 20-dB whisper than the threshold of human hearing?

1 Answer
Ed Hitchcock
Jan 24, 2016

20 dB is 100 times the intensity of the threshold of human hearing.

Explanation:

The threshold of human hearing is given the value of 0dB, and the decibel scale is a logarithmic one, such that an increase of 10 dB is a 10-fold (10#xx#) increase in intensity.
10 dB would be 10#xx# the intensity at 0 dB, and 20 dB is 10#xx# the intensity at 10 dB.
#10xx10 = 100#
So the intensity at 20 dB is 100 times the intensity at 0 dB.

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