Question
Comment on the statement ‘loudness of sound is a subjective quantity, while intensity is an objective quantity.

Answer

The intensity at any point of the medium is the amount of sound energy passing per second normally through unit area at that point.
The loudness of a sound depends on the energy conveyed by the sound wave near the eardrum of the listener. Loudness, being a sensation, also depends on the sensitivity of the ears of the listener. Thus the loudness of sound of a given intensity may differ from listener to listener. Further, two sounds of the same intensity but of different frequencies may differ in loudness even to the same listener because of the sensitivity of ears is different for different frequencies. So, loudness is a subjective quantity while intensity being a measurable quantity is an objective quantity for the sound wave.

Need a full question paper?

Generate a complete, print-ready paper with questions like this in minutes — across 16+ boards, with answer keys.

Start Generating Free

Similar questions

A piece of stone tied at the end of a thread is whirled in a horizontal circle. Name the force which provides the centripetal force.
  1. Is the velocity of stone uniform or variable?
  2. Is the acceleration of stone uniform or variable?
  3. What is the direction of acceleration of stone at any instant?
  4. What force does provide the centripetal force required for circular motion?
  5. Name the force and its direction which acts on the hand.
State change that you would make to convert an A.C. generator into a D.C. generator. Illustrate the change by a diagram.
What is the function of a transformer in an a.c. circuit? How do the input and output powers in a transformer compare?
The refractive index of glass with respect to air is $1.5.$ What is the value of the refractive index of air with respect to glass?
How does a machine work?
Name three properties of ultraviolet radiations which are similar to visible light.
What are the S.I. and $C.G.S$ units of work? How are they related? Establish the relationship.
A boy of mass $40\ kg$ climbs up the stairs and reaches the roof at a height $8\ m$ in $5\ s$. Calculate:
  1. the force of gravity acting on the boy,
  2. the work done by him against the force of gravity,
  3. the power spent by boy. (Take $g =10 m s ^{-2}$ )
63.2 g of copper at 50°C can just melt 3.8g of ice. If the specific latent heat of ice is 336 J/g, find the specific heat capacity of copper.
Heat energy is supplied at a constant rate to 100 g of ice at $0^{\circ} C$. The ice is converted into water at $0^{\circ} C$ in 2 minutes. How much time will be required to raise the temperature of water from $0^{\circ} C$ to $20^{\circ} C$ ? [Given: sp. heat capacity of water $=4.2 J g ^{-1}{ }^{\circ} C ^{-1}, sp$. latent heat of ice $=336 J g ^{-1} J$.