01.

Objectives pg 4

02. Background Information pg 4

03. Materials and Tools pg 4-6

04. Experiment Procedure pg 7

05. Experiment Results pg 8-10

06. Individual Discussions pg 11-18

07. Conclusion pg 19

08. References pg 20-21

09. Student Declaration pg 22-26

1
Objectives
To determine the intensity of sound along the demonstrator when the measuring instrument
(sound level meter) is moved away from the speaker

To determine the intensity of sound when it passed through different materials such as plywood,
cement board and gypsum board.

Background Information
Sound is caused by vibrations. Through air, the sound is able to vibrate as a longitudinal wave.
Sound waves are able to travel through solid, liquid and gases. We hear different types of sound
due to different frequencies. The higher the frequency, the higher the pitch. The loudness or
strength of sound depends on the amplitude of sound waves, thus the greater the intensity of
sound, the greater the amplitude. The intensity of sound is defined as the energy flowing per unit
area that is perpendicular to the direction in which the sound waves are travelling.(The editors of
Encyclopaedia Britannica,1998) It is measured in units called decibels. The larger the distance,
the smaller the value of intensity

Materials and Tools

1. Cement board

2. Gypsum board

2
3. Plywood board

4. Sound level meter

5. Sound panel (speaker)

3
6. Building demonstration

7. Ear protection

4
Experiment Procedures :

Experiment A:
1. The demonstrator was setted up by plugging into a 240 V AC single-phase 50 Hz supply.
2. At the end of the demonstrator, the four nuts were unscrewed to put the sound panel and
tightened back.
3. Then, the speaker wire was connected to a switch which was located above the power
point at the side of the control panel.
4. The speaker was then switched on and the selector was switched to high. The frequency
and the volume was turned to the maximum position.
5. The sound intensity reading for the distance 70cm away from the source is taken and
recorded. The same steps were repeated to different distances and the results were also
taken and recorded.

Experiment B:
1. The steps (1-4) from Experiment A were repeated for Experiment B.
2. A piece of plywood was put onto the demonstrator at a distance 70cm away from the
sound source.
3. The sound intensity readings were taken and recorded immediately before and after the
sound travelled through the plywood.
4. The experiment was continued by placing the rack at different distances from the sound
source.
5. The experiment was repeated by using cement board and gypsum board

5
 Experiment Results

Experiment A:
Distance d (cm) Intensity of Sound, I (dB)

1st 2nd 3rd Average

1. 70 103 110 105 106

2. 140 98 100 99 99

3. 210 91 94 97 94
Table 1: Result of Experiment A

Experiment B: PLYWOOD BOARD

Distance d (cm) Intensity of Sound, I (dB) Transmission Sound Reduction
coefficient T Index R= 10
Reading Reading = I 2 /I 1 log 10 (1/T )
before I 1 before I 2

1. 70 104 96 0.923 0.348

2. 140 99 82 0.828 0.820

3. 210 94 92 0.979 0.092

Table 2 : Results of Experiment B ( Plywood Board)

Experiment B: CEMENT BOARD

Distance d (cm) Intensity of Sound, I (dB) Transmission Sound Reduction
coefficient T Index R= 10
Reading Reading = I 2 /I 1 log 10 (1/T )
before I 1 before I 2

1. 70 110 91 0.827 0.825

2. 140 102 87 0.853 0.691

3. 210 92 91 0.989 0.048

Table 3 : Results of Experiment B ( Cement Board)

6
 Experiment B: GYPSUM BOARD
Distance d (cm) Intensity of Sound, I (dB) Transmission Sound Reduction
coefficient T Index R= 10
Reading Reading = I 2 /I 1 log 10 (1/T )
before I 1 before I 2

1. 70 110 105 0.955 0.200

2. 140 98 92 0.939 0.273

3. 210 95 90 0.947 0.237

Table 4 : Results of Experiment B ( Gypsum Board)

Exercises
1. Experiment A: Plot a graph of average intensity of sound, I (vertical axis) against the inverse
of distance squared from sound source, 1/ d 2 (horizontal axis)

Graph 1 : I against 1/ d 2

2. Experiment B: For the 3 different building materials, plot a graph of sound reduction index, R
(vertical axis) against distance from sound source, d (horizontal axis)

Plywood Board

7
 Graph 2 : R against d

Cement Board

Graph 3 : R against d

Gypsum Board

Graph 4 : R against d

8
Conclusion

Lastly the intensity of the sound would be most effective on the cement board because the
reading that was recorded after was decreasing in difference with the before. When the distance
increases, the sound would also be spread out more. The reading recorded of the transmission
coefficient has also decreased by the further the distance it is because if the value of the intensity

9
decreases as the distances from the source will also increase. For the sound reduction has
increased literally from the outcome of the experiment.

References

Alex,2021,​Does Cement Board Block Sound?,​ viewed 22 February 2021.

<​https://www.tipshandyman.com/does-cement-board-block-sound/#:~:text=Cement%20board%
20is%20made%20from,against%20airborne%20or%20impact%20noises​.>

10
Designing Buildings,2020, ​Sound reduction index (SRI)​ , viewed 21 February 2021.

<​https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Sound_reduction_index_(SRI)​>

Designing Buildings,2020, ​Sound absorption,​ viewed 21 February 2021.

<​https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Sound_absorption#:~:text=Sound%20absorption%
20is%20the%20loss,reflected%20back%20into%20the%20space.&text=Sound%20absorption%
20can%20be%20a,Sports%20halls​.>

Dominic, 2021, ​The 4 Most Soundproof Wood Options,​ viewed 20 February 2021
<​https://soundproofcentral.com/soundproof-wood/#:~:text=In%20addition%20to%20its%20grea
t,Reduce%20echoes%20and%20sound%20reverberation​.>

Good Science,2021,​Transmission, Reflection and Absorption of Sound, v​ iewed 21 February 2021

<​https://www.goodscience.com.au/year-9-physics/sound-waves/8-transmission-reflection-and-ab
sorption-of-sound/#:~:text=Transmission%20%E2%80%93%20the%20sound%20wave%20trave
ls,a%20small%20amount%20of%20heat​.>

Encyclopedia,2021,​Sound Transmission​, viewed 21 February 2021.

<​https://www.encyclopedia.com/science/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/sound-tra
nsmission​>

Isostore, 2021, ​Basic Sound Isolation Principles,​ viewed 20 February 2021,

<​https://isostore.com/research/basic-sound-isolation-concepts​ >.

R,Nave,2005, ​Diffraction of Sound, v​ iewed 20 February 2021

<​http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/Sound/diffrac.html​>

Soundproofing101, 2021, ​Basic Soundproofing Principles,​ viewed 20 February 2021

<​http://www.soundproofing101.com/soundproofing_principles.htm​ >

The editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica,1998,​Sound Intensity,​ viewed 20 February 2021

<​https://www.britannica.com/science/sound-intensity​>.

The Physics Classroom,2021, ​Reflection, Refraction, and Diffraction,​ viewed 21 February 2021.

<​https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/sound/Lesson-3/Reflection,-Refraction,-and-Diffracti
on#:~:text=Reflection%20of%20sound%20waves%20also,original%20sound%20wave%20was
%20heard.&text=Reflection%20of%20sound%20waves%20off%20of%20curved,to%20a%20m
ore%20interesting%20phenomenon​.>

11
VB2GO, 2013,​ Principles of Soundproofing,​ viewed 20 February 2021,
<​https://www.vocalboothtogo.com/soundproofing-how-to/​ >.

FACULTY OF BUILT ENVIRONMENT

STUDENT’S DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY

12
Submission ​(please circled)​: ​Coursework​ / Final e-Assessment

Course Code: ATGB1363

Course Title: Building Science and Services I

“The ​Coursework / Final e-Assessment submitted herewith is a result of my

own research / work. All information that has been obtained from other sources
had been fully acknowledged.

I understand that cheating / plagiarism constitutes a breach of University

College rules and regulations and would be subjected to disciplinary actions”.

Signature
Name of Student: CLEMENT YAP KHAI BOON
Student ID: 2001244
Date: 18/2/2021

FACULTY OF BUILT ENVIRONMENT

STUDENT’S DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY

Submission ​(please circled)​: ​Coursework​ / Final e-Assessment

13
Course Code: ATGB1363
Course Title: Building Science and Services I

“The ​Coursework / Final e-Assessment submitted herewith is a result of my

own research / work. All information that has been obtained from other sources
had been fully acknowledged.

I understand that cheating / plagiarism constitutes a breach of University

College rules and regulations and would be subjected to disciplinary actions”.

Signature
Name of Student: LEE KAR WEI
Student ID: 2001448
Date: 18/2/2021

FACULTY OF BUILT ENVIRONMENT

STUDENT’S DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY

Submission ​(please circled)​: ​Coursework​ / Final e-Assessment

Course Code: ATGB1363

Course Title: Building Science and Services I

14
“The ​Coursework / Final e-Assessment submitted herewith is a result of my own
research / work. All information that has been obtained from other sources had
been fully acknowledged.

I understand that cheating / plagiarism constitutes a breach of University

College rules and regulations and would be subjected to disciplinary actions”.

Signature
Name of Student: LEE JIE LIN
Student ID: 2001472
Date: 18/2/2021

FACULTY OF BUILT ENVIRONMENT

STUDENT’S DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY

Submission ​(please circled)​: ​Coursework​ / Final e-Assessment

Course Code: ATGB1363

Course Title: Building Science and Services I

15
“The ​Coursework / Final e-Assessment submitted herewith is a result of my
own research / work. All information that has been obtained from other sources
had been fully acknowledged.

I understand that cheating / plagiarism constitutes a breach of University

College rules and regulations and would be subjected to disciplinary actions”.

Signature
Name of Student: DEANA LOW QINGLI
Student ID: 2002050
Date: 18/2/2021

FACULTY OF BUILT ENVIRONMENT

STUDENT’S DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY

Submission ​(please circled)​: ​Coursework​ / Final e-Assessment

Course Code: ATGB1363

Course Title: Building Science and Services I

“The ​Coursework / Final e-Assessment submitted herewith is a result of my

own research / work. All information that has been obtained from other sources
had been fully acknowledged.

16
I understand that cheating / plagiarism constitutes a breach of University
College rules and regulations and would be subjected to disciplinary actions”.

Signature
Name of Student: Chien Hang Seng
Student ID: 2001184
Date: 18/2/2021

17