But what about the loudest sound ever heard? On the morning of 27 August 1883, on the Indonesian island of
The pain threshold for sound lies around 120-130 decibels (dB). These sound levels are so high that upon hearing them, you can get instant hearing damage. The loudest single-event sound ever recorded is that of the Tunguska meteor in 1908. It crashed into earth with a staggering 300-315 dB!
Deciding decibels
So, at 310dB, the eruption would have been over two times the level that causes pain. As such, anyone close to the eruption would have suffered damage to their organs, and possibly even died. For additional context, only 150-160dB is needed to rupture your eardrums.
Events on the scale of volcanic eruptions and exploding meteorites register at more than 194 decibels, a level that generates enough force to potentially pierce your eardrums and pop your lungs. At those highs, sound waves are so powerful, they no longer slip through the air but rather shove molecules out of their way.
This car siren advertised as being 300dB loud, which would make it approximately as loud as 1000 nuclear bombs at once.
110 dB is as loud as a rock-n-roll band. The siren emits a high frequency oscillating siren intolerable to the human ear. It does a great job at forcing a burglar to have to leave.
Firearms Are Loud
A small . 22-caliber rifle can produce noise around 140 dB, while big-bore rifles and pistols can produce sound over 175 dB. Firing guns in a place where sounds can reverberate, or bounce off walls and other structures, can make noises louder and increase the risk of hearing loss.
The noise from the largest detonated atomic bomb, the RDS-202 Tsar Bomb, can be estimated at an incredible 224 dB. Since the decibels are logarithmic, it is a hundred times more deafening a noise than the Saturn V space rocket.
Average Decibel Level of Human Speech
A whisper is between 20-30 dB. On the other hand, a human scream can reach decibel levels between 80 and 125 dB.
First 1000 dB is a physical impossibility, anything over 150dB would burst your eardrums, anything over 194dB is no longer sound and anything over 200dB is fatal.
In the case of sounds we can hear, to actually kill you, scientists believe that loud a sound must exceed 185 or even 200 dB. From 150 dB on, sounds can start affecting your inner ear and then your inner organs. In such cases, sound can cause life-threatening internal injuries and even death.
No, it is impossible for a human to survive 200 decibels. The sound waves at this level are so intense that they can cause the eardrums to rupture, leading to immediate and permanent deafness. Additionally, the sound can also cause damage to other parts of the body, including the internal organs.
Sperm whale sound range - Oceanographic - Oceanographic. Sperm whale communications are extremely diverse. Their clicks can be as short as 1/1000 of a second, and their range goes all the way up to their 'gunshot', one of the most powerful sounds on the planet – as loud as 230 decibels.
Sound is measured in decibels (dB). A whisper is about 30 dB, normal conversation is about 60 dB, and a motorcycle engine running is about 95 dB. Noise above 70 dB over a prolonged period of time may start to damage your hearing. Loud noise above 120 dB can cause immediate harm to your ears.
“The F/A-18 Super Hornet produces 118 decibels of noise, which is the equivalent of a rock concert,” Schrock said. “A reduction of four decibels would have a significant impact on noise issues related to our military aircraft.”
By E=mc2. Put enough energy into a small enough area and it would be the equivalent of putting mass in that area, causing immense gravity. With energy as great as 1100 dB, it would create enough gravity to cause a black hole to form, and an incredibly large one at that. Decibels are a logarithmic unit.
However, to be on the safe side, you should consider any noise above 70 dB as being potentially dangerous to your hearing. In cases when sound levels exceed 70 dB, you should use hearing protection solutions such as limiting exposure, moving away from the source, or using ear plugs or ear muffs.
Audio devices and mobile phones including iPhone have a sound level of 100 dB or louder. iPhones can produce a maximum of 115 decibels (software limits European iPods to 100 dB; U.S. models have been measured higher), the equivalent of attending a rock concert amplification.
Thus 1 bomb with a yield of 1 megaton would destroy 80 square miles. While 8 bombs, each with a yield of 125 kilotons, would destroy 160 square miles. This relationship is one reason for the development of delivery systems that could carry multiple warheads (MIRVs).
Commercial explosive is a dense putty-like material that may be in blocks, lumps or sticks, and often has a distinct almond or marzipan smell.
Flexi Says: The loudest sound ever made by humans was the detonation of the Tsar Bomba, a nuclear bomb created and detonated by the Soviet Union in 1961. It was the most powerful nuclear weapon ever created and tested.
How loud is a gunshot? Decibel levels for firearms average between 140 and 165 dB.
The grenade is thrown and explodes after a roughly 1.5-second delay. The explosion of magnesium-based pyrotechnic chemicals causes a very bright flash and a loud sound (160−180 decibels), which can cause temporary blindness, temporary loss of hearing and loss of balance, as well as a sense of panic.
Depending on the caliber of the firearm, most gunshots will register around 150-170 dB. At these levels, hearing damage can occur quickly. It's also worth pointing out the proximity to our ears when shooting.