Comparing Power and Intensity

The decibel difference between two power levels $ \Delta L$ is defined in terms of their power ratio $ W_2/W_1$:

   dB$\displaystyle .
$

Since power is proportional to intensity, the decibel difference between two levels with intensities $ I_1$ and $ I_2$ is given by

   dB$\displaystyle .
$


``Music 175: Level'' by Tamara Smyth, Department of Music, University of California, San Diego (UCSD).
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Copyright © 2020-04-14 by Tamara Smyth.
Please email errata, comments, and suggestions to Tamara Smyth<trsmyth@ucsd.edu>