Unwanted sound
Noise
is unwanted or harmful
sound
considered unpleasant, loud, or disruptive to
hearing
. From a physics standpoint, there is no distinction between noise and desired sound, as both are
vibrations
through a medium, such as air or water. The difference arises when the brain receives and perceives a sound.
[1]
[2]
Acoustic noise
is any sound in the acoustic domain, either deliberate (e.g., music or speech) or unintended. In contrast,
noise in electronics
may not be audible to the human ear and may require instruments for detection.
[3]
In
audio engineering
, noise can refer to the unwanted residual electronic noise signal that gives rise to acoustic noise heard as a
hiss
. This signal noise is commonly measured using
A-weighting
[4]
or
ITU-R 468 weighting
.
[5]
In
experimental sciences
, noise can refer to any random fluctuations of data that hinders perception of a signal.
[6]
[7]
Measurement
[
edit
]
Sound is measured based on the
amplitude
and
frequency
of a sound wave. Amplitude measures how forceful the wave is. The energy in a sound wave is measured in
decibels (dB)
, the measure of
loudness
, or
intensity
of a sound; this measurement describes the amplitude of a sound wave. Decibels are expressed in a
logarithmic scale
. On the other hand, pitch describes the frequency of a sound and is measured in
hertz (Hz)
.
[8]
The main instrument to measure sounds in the air is the
Sound Level Meter
. There are many different varieties of instruments that are used to measure noise -
Noise Dosimeters
are often used in occupational environments, noise monitors are used to measure
environmental noise
and
noise pollution
, and recently
smartphone
-based sound level meter applications (apps)
[9]
are being used to crowdsource and map recreational and community noise.
[10]
[11]
[12]
A-weighting
is applied to a sound spectrum to represent the sound that humans are capable of hearing at each frequency. Sound pressure is thus expressed in terms of dBA. 0 dBA is the softest level that a person can hear. Normal speaking voices are around 65 dBA. A rock concert can be about 120 dBA.
Recording and reproduction
[
edit
]
In audio,
recording
, and
broadcast
systems, audio noise refers to the residual low-level sound (four major types: hiss, rumble, crackle, and hum) that is heard in quiet periods of program. This variation from the expected pure sound or silence can be caused by the audio recording equipment, the instrument, or
ambient noise
in the recording room.
[13]
In
audio engineering
it can refer either to the acoustic noise from loudspeakers or to the unwanted residual electronic noise signal that gives rise to acoustic noise heard as hiss. This signal noise is commonly measured using A-weighting or
ITU-R 468 weighting
Noise is often generated deliberately and used as a
test signal
for audio recording and reproduction equipment.
Environmental noise
[
edit
]
Environmental noise
is the accumulation of all noise present in a specified environment. The principal sources of environmental noise are surface motor vehicles, aircraft, trains and industrial sources.
[14]
These noise sources expose millions of people to noise pollution that creates not only annoyance, but also significant health consequences such as elevated incidence of hearing loss, cardiovascular disease, and many others.
[15]
[16]
[17]
Urban noise is generally not of an intensity that causes hearing loss but it interrupts sleep, disturbs communication and interferes with other human activities.
[18]
There are a variety of mitigation strategies and controls available to reduce sound levels including source intensity reduction,
land-use planning
strategies,
noise barriers
and
sound baffles
, time of day use regimens, vehicle operational controls and
architectural acoustics
design measures.
Regulation
[
edit
]
Certain geographic areas or specific occupations may be at a higher risk of being exposed to constantly high levels of noise; regulation may prevent negative health outcomes. Noise regulation includes statutes or guidelines relating to sound transmission established by national, state or provincial and municipal levels of government. Environmental noise is governed by laws and standards which set maximum recommended levels of noise for specific land uses, such as residential areas, areas of outstanding natural beauty, or schools. These standards usually specify measurement using a
weighting filter
, most often A-weighting.
[19]
[20]
United States
[
edit
]
In 1972, the
Noise Control Act
was passed to promote a healthy living environment for all Americans, where noise does not pose a threat to human health. This policy's main objectives were: (1) establish coordination of research in the area of
noise control
, (2) establish federal standards on noise emission for commercial products, and (3) promote public awareness about noise emission and reduction.
[21]
[22]
The
Quiet Communities Act of 1978
promotes noise control programs at the state and local level and developed a research program on noise control.
[23]
Both laws authorized the
Environmental Protection Agency
to study the effects of noise and evaluate regulations regarding noise control.
[24]
The
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH) provides recommendation on noise exposure in the workplace.
[25]
[26]
In 1972 (revised in 1998), NIOSH published a document outlining recommended standards relating to the occupational exposure to noise, with the purpose of reducing the risk of developing permanent hearing loss related to exposure at work.
[27]
This publication set the recommended exposure limit (REL) of noise in an occupation setting to 85 dBA for 8 hours using a 3-dB exchange rate (every 3-dB increase in level, duration of exposure should be cut in half, i.e., 88 dBA for 4 hours, 91 dBA for 2 hours, 94 dBA for 1 hour, etc.). However, in 1973 the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) maintained the requirement of an 8-hour average of 90 dBA. The following year, OSHA required employers to provide a
hearing conservation program
to workers exposed to 85 dBA average 8-hour workdays.
[28]
Europe
[
edit
]
The
European Environment Agency
regulates noise control and surveillance within the
European Union
.
[29]
The
Environmental Noise Directive
was set to determine levels of noise exposure, increase public access to information regarding environmental noise, and reduce environmental noise.
[30]
[31]
Additionally, in the European Union, underwater noise is a pollutant according to the
Marine Strategy Framework Directive
(MSFD).
[32]
The MSFD requires EU
Member States
to achieve or maintain
Good Environmental Status
, meaning that the "introduction of energy, including underwater noise, is at levels that do not adversely affect the marine environment".
[32]
Health effects
[
edit
]
Exposure to noise is associated with several negative health outcomes. Depending on duration and level of exposure, noise may cause or increase the likelihood of
hearing loss
,
high blood pressure
,
ischemic heart disease
,
sleep disturbances
,
injuries
, and even decreased school performance.
[35]
When noise is prolonged, the body's stress responses can be triggered; which can include increased heartbeat, and rapid breathing.
[15]
There are also causal relationships between noise and psychological effects such as annoyance, psychiatric disorders, and effects on psychosocial well-being.
[35]
Noise exposure has increasingly been identified as a
public health
issue, especially in an occupational setting, as demonstrated with the creation of NIOSH's Noise and Hearing Loss Prevention program.
[36]
Noise has also proven to be an
occupational hazard
, as it is the most common work-related pollutant.
[37]
Noise-induced hearing loss, when associated with noise exposure at the workplace is also called
occupational hearing loss
. For example, some occupational studies have shown a relation between those who are regularly exposed to noise above 85 decibels to have higher blood pressure than those who are not exposed.
[15]
[38]
Hearing loss prevention
[
edit
]
While
noise-induced hearing loss
is permanent, it is also preventable.
[39]
Particularly in the workplace, regulations may exist limiting
permissible exposure limit
to noise. This can be especially important for professionals working in settings with consistent exposure to loud sounds, such as
musicians
, music teachers and
audio engineers
.
[40]
Examples of measures taken to prevent noise-induced hearing loss in the workplace include engineering noise control, the
Buy-Quiet
initiative,
[41]
[42]
creation of the
Safe-In-Sound award
, and noise surveillance.
[43]
OSHA
requires the use of
hearing protection
. But the HPD (without individual selection, training and
fit testing
) does not significantly reduce the risk of hearing loss.
[44]
For example, one study covered more than 19 thousand workers, some of whom usually used hearing protective devices, and some did not use them at all. There was no statistically significant difference in the risk of noise-induced hearing loss.
[45]
Literary views
[
edit
]
Roland Barthes
distinguishes between
physiological
noise, which is merely
heard
, and
psychological
noise, which is actively
listened to
. Physiological noise is felt subconsciously as the vibrations of the noise (sound) waves physically interact with the body while psychological noise is perceived as our conscious awareness shifts its attention to that noise.
[46]
Luigi Russolo
, one of the first composers of
noise music
,
[47]
wrote the essay
The Art of Noises
.
He argued that any kind of noise could be used as music, as audiences become more familiar with noises caused by technological advancements; noise has become so prominent that pure sound no longer exists.
[48]
Avant-garde
composer
Henry Cowell
claimed that technological advancements have reduced unwanted noises from machines, but have not managed so far to eliminate them.
[49]
Felix Urban sees noise as a result of cultural circumstances. In his comparative study on sound and noise in cities, he points out that noise regulations are only one indicator of what is considered as harmful. It is the way in which people live and behave (acoustically) that determines the way how sounds are perceived.
[50]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
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?
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.
- ^
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.
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.
{{
cite book
}}
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link
)
Further reading
[
edit
]
External links
[
edit
]
Look up
noise
in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Wikiquote has quotations related to
Sound
.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to
Noise
.
Noise
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General
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Noise in...
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terms
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Denoise
methods
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