A copy machine in a nearby room emits a sound with an intensity level of 40 dB. If four identical copy machines were operating together, what would be the intensity level of the resulting sound?
To calculate the resulting intensity level of four copy machines operating together, we need to use the formula for adding the decibel levels of multiple sound sources:
Lp1 + Lp2 = 10 * log10 (10^(Lp1/10) + 10^(Lp2/10))
Using this formula, we can calculate the resulting intensity level of four copy machines operating together:
Each copy machine has an intensity level of 40 dB. So, using the formula above:
40 dB + 40 dB = 10 * log10 (10^(40/10) + 10^(40/10))
= 10 * log10 (10^4 + 10^4)
= 10 * log10 (10000 + 10000)
= 10 * log10 (20000)
= 10 * 4.3010
= 43.010
Therefore, the resulting intensity level of four copy machines operating together would be approximately 43.010 dB.