dB to Pressure Calculator

Formula

The formula to calculate the pressure (P) from sound pressure level (SPL) is:

\[ P = P₀ \cdot 10^{(L/20)} \]

Where:

\(P\) is the pressure in Pascals (Pa)
\(P₀\) is the reference pressure in Pascals (Pa)
\(L\) is the sound pressure level in decibels (dB)

What is Sound Pressure Level?

Sound pressure level (SPL) is a measure of the pressure of a sound wave relative to a reference value. It is usually measured in decibels (dB) and is used to quantify the intensity of sound. The reference pressure is typically the threshold of hearing, which is 20 micropascals in air. SPL is an important parameter in acoustics and audio engineering, as it helps in understanding how loud a sound is perceived by the human ear.

Example Calculation

Let's assume the following values:

Reference Pressure (P₀) = 20 µPa = 0.00002 Pa
Sound Pressure Level (L) = 85 dB

Using the formula:

\[ P = 0.00002 \cdot 10^{(85/20)} \approx 0.0.356 \, \text{Pa} \]

The Pressure is approximately 0.356 Pa.