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The Field of Audition

The field of audition is illustrated by Fig. 16. The data were obtained from tests of a large number of people with normal hearing. The lower curve indicates the intensity level necessary to produce a just audible tone at the different frequencies shown. The upper curve shows the intensity level for the different frequencies above which the impinging tone ceases to become a sound sensation and changes to a sensation of feeling.

limits of audibility of the human ear
Figure 16. Limits of audibility, or field of audition, of the human ear. Zero level represents a pure tone of 1000 cycles at an intensity of 10-16 watt per square centimeter. Actually, this threshold of audibility is for observers listening in a prescribed manner. Under these conditions, the hearing of the "reference observer" is slightly better than the average of a large group of individuals. See Reference 29. From a purely practical standpoint it is satisfactory to assume that the threshold of audibility for the average normal ear is 10-16 watt per square centimeter at 1000 cycles, although actually it is slightly higher.

A sound is audible if the frequency and intensity values lie within the area bounded by the curves. As is evident, the important hearing range for the average normal ear lies between about 20 and 20000 cycles per second.


Home Fundamentals of Acoustics The Field of Audition

Last Update: 2011-05-30