CAN FREQUENCY AFFECT

SOUND ABSORPTION?
By Bryce Chery
 EXPERIMENT
I will be testing if sound absorption by acoustic foam changes with the
frequency of sound.
 INDEPENDENT VARIABLE,
DEPENDENT VARIABLE & HYPOTHESIS
• The independent variable is the frequency.
• The dependent variable is the sound absorption. I will measure it by using a
sound level meter to find how loud it is and if any of the sound was absorbed
from the results.
• If the frequency of a sound is higher then there will be less sound absorption
by the acoustic foam.
 MATERIALS
• High quality external speakers
• Computer or laptop
• Audio frequency test files
• Sound level meter
• Acoustic foam or some sound insulator
 PROCEDURE
• Select at least 5 different frequencies. Set up a sound level meter at a fixed
distance away in front from your computer speakers for each trial. I had my
sound level meter one meter away for each trial. You need to set up your
computer speakers such that you can place the sheet of your test material
directly in front of them. Using your first sound file, adjust the speaker volume
to get a constant sound pressure on the sound level meter at the fixed
distance like one meter from the speaker. Place the material to be tested in
front of the speaker and measure the sound level again. Remember to
place the material at the same distance from the speaker for each trial.
Record the attenuation. Repeat for each test frequency that you have
selected. Repeat for each material to be tested.
 Noise Level
Frequency Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Average
Without any 300 Hz 70 dB 72 dB 72 dB 71.333 dB
RESULTS
insulation 800 Hz 73 dB 76 dB 75 dB 74.6666 dB

5000 Hz 37 dB 35 dB 37 dB 36.333 dB

10000 Hz 35 dB 43 dB 42 dB 40 dB

20000 Hz 32 dB 31 dB 31 dB 31.333 dB

Frequency Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Average

Acoustic 300 Hz 71 dB 71 dB 72 dB 71.333 dB
Foam
800 Hz 70 dB 71 dB 72 dB 71 dB

5000 Hz 32 dB 32 dB 31 dB 31.6666 dB

10000 Hz 35 dB 35 dB 34 dB 34.6666 dB

20000 Hz 32 dB 32 dB 32 dB 32 dB
 REFLECTION
As stated in my hypothesis, I believed that if the frequency of a sound is
higher then there will be less sound absorption by the acoustic foam. The
experimental data did not support my hypothesis instead showing that when
the frequencies got higher there was a bit more sound absorption. It also
showed that the lower frequencies were louder. I have revised my statement
to if the frequency of a sound is higher than there will be more sound
absorption by acoustic foam.