Threshold of pain
|
|
| Missing image Merge_articles.png | It has been proposed that this article or section be merged with Absolute threshold of hearing.
This request may be discussed on the article's talk page. |
In hearing, the threshold of pain is the sound pressure or sound pressure level beyond which sound becomes unbearable for a human listener. This threshold varies only slightly with frequency.
Different values for the threshold of pain are found in the literature:
| Threshold of pain | ||
| sound pressure level | sound pressure | |
| 120 dBSPL | 20 Pa | |
| 130 dBSPL | 63 Pa | |
| 134 dBSPL | 100 Pa | |
| 137.5 dBSPL | 150 Pa | |
| 140 dBSPL | 200 Pa | |
The volume in acoustics refers to loudness. It is a common term for the amplitude of sound, the sound pressure or the sound pressure level.
Prolonged exposure to sound pressure levels in excess of the threshhold of pain can cause physical damage, potentially leading to hearing impairment.