Noise is sounds that bothers us. That can be sound that is too loud or shrill, or sound that lasts too long. Sound protection can help a lot. We answer a viewer question from Pakisho M. from South Africa.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00What is noise?
00:04Is this noise?
00:07Or this?
00:10And what about this?
00:14Pleasant and expected sounds usually aren't perceived as noise.
00:19Noise is sound that bothers us.
00:22What qualifies as noise can vary.
00:24The same sound one person enjoys might be noise to someone else.
00:29Noise is also related to loudness.
00:32When a sound exceeds a certain volume, it's perceived as too loud.
00:36Sound levels are measured in decibels, or dB.
00:39For example, a ticking clock is around 30 decibels, traffic about 70 decibels, and a
00:44jet engine at takeoff reaches a staggering 140 decibels.
00:50Pitch also plays a role.
00:53High-pitched or shrill sounds are generally perceived as more unpleasant than lower-pitched
00:57sounds.
00:59Duration is another factor.
01:01The longer we're exposed to a sound, the more strain it places on our hearing.
01:08Noise is also sound that we're unable to avoid.
01:12Sound waves travel in all directions, so it's not all that easy to escape.
01:20Sound that's too loud can cause permanent hearing damage faster than you might expect.
01:26And constant exposure to noise also increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
01:33Noise protection can help minimize the negative effects.
01:37This protection can be either direct or indirect.
01:40Direct noise protection focuses on reducing noise at its source.
01:44For example, researchers are working on sound-dampening road surfaces and noise-reducing tires.
01:53Sound limits can also do a lot to reduce traffic noise.
01:58Indirect noise protection works by interrupting the spread of sound waves.
02:03Sound barriers along busy roads are one example, and tunnels can also indirectly reduce traffic
02:09noise.