Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definition: Acoustics |
AcousticsNoun1. The study of the physical properties of sound. Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "acoustics" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1726. (references) |
Note: Acoustics \A*cous"tics\, noun. [Names of sciences in -ics, as, acoustics, mathematics, etc., are usually treated as singular. See -ics.]. (Websters 1913) |
| Domain | Definitions |
Aerospace | 1. The study of sound, including its production, transmission, and effects.2. Those qualities of an enclosure that together determine its character with respect to distinct hearing. (references) |
Mining | The study of sound, including its production, transmission, reception, and utilization, esp. in fluid media such as air or water. With reference to Earth sciences, it is esp. relevant to oceanography. The term is sometimes used to include compressional waves in solids; e.g., seismic waves. (references) |
Tips from 1870 | Usage: Acoustics. Names of sciences ending in ics, are generally regarded as singular. "Acoustics is a very considerable branch of physics." Do not say, "The acoustics of this hall are good," but "The acoustic properties of this hall are good." Dialectics, dynamics, economics, mathematics, ethics, politics, tactics, when used as substantives, require a verb in the singular. Source: Slips of Speech. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Acoustics is a branch of physics and is study of sound, mechanical waves in gases, liquids, and solids. A scientist who works in the field of acoustics is an acoustician. The application of acoustics in technology is called acoustical engineering. There is often much overlap and interaction between the interests of acousticians and acoustical engineers.
"... acoustics is characterized by its reliance on combinations of physical principles drawn from other sources; and that the primary task of modern physical acoustics is to effect a fusion of the principles normally adhering to other sciences into a coherent basis for understanding, measuring, controlling, and using the whole gamut of vibrational phenomena in any material medium." Origins in Acoustics. F.V. Hunt. Yale University Press, 1978
The main sub-disciplines of acoustics are
.
When speaking of sound levels, one must be sure to differentiate between sound pressure levels and sound power levels. Sound pressure levels are recorded by microphones and other devices. This is a measurement of the amount of pressure in the air being sensed at a given location. It follows that its value can be determined through direct experimentation. In comparison, sound power levels are a measurement of the actual energy being put into use by a given device to create noise. Because of environmental factors, and other influences, the amount of energy a device devotes to creating sound may not be equal to the actual level of the sound as it's perceived. Sound power measurements cannot be directly measured, and must be infered through other data.
Sound pressure level
The amplitude of a sound wave is most commonly characterized by its pressure. In a normal working environment, a very wide range of sound pressure can occur and so it is the convention that sound pressure is measured on a logarithmic scale using the decibel. If is the rms sound pressure amplitude then the sound pressure level (SPL) is defined as 10 times the logarithm of the square of the ratio of the pressure to some reference pressure.
The reference pressure is by convention 20 µPa (10−6 Pa) in air and 1 µPa in water.Measurement methods
There are two popular ways for scientists to perform acoustical measurements. They include a "direct method", and a "comparison method". The direct method computes sound power levels by computing an equation of environmental factors (such as room temperature, humidity, reverberation time, etc.) and sound pressure levels. A more precise implementation of this method can be found in the ISO3745 acoustics standard. The comparison method however, is conducted by measuring sound pressure levels from a reference sound source which emits a known, constant, sound power level, and then comparing that level with the sound pressure level of the object being recorded. Each way is equally valid and accurate.
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Acoustics."
Crosswords: Acoustics |
| English words defined with "acoustics": acoustic, acoustic radiation pressure, acoustic wave, acoustical, acoustically, acoustician ♦ Catacoustic, Cataphonics ♦ Diacoustics ♦ harmonic ♦ -ics ♦ phonetics. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "acoustics": architectural acoustics, AUDIOVISUAL LIBRARIAN, auditory sensation area ♦ board operator ♦ compressional wave ♦ digital signal processing ♦ ELECTRONICS ENGINEER ♦ film librarian ♦ level above threshold ♦ mixer operator, music mixer ♦ physical meteorology ♦ recordings librarian, reverberation time ♦ SCHOOL-PLANT CONSULTANT, SOUND MIXER, Speech Acoustics, studio engineer, studio technician ♦ threshold of discomfort, threshold of feeling, threshold of pain ♦ ultrasonics. (references) |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | The acoustics are somewhat inconsistent, should you reconsider your evaluation, I could provide you with a private box. (The Phantom of the Opera; writing credit: Gerry O'Hara) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
 | Test of V-fin thumper in water used for bottom penetration acoustics Provided continuous sub-bottom profile Off of EXPLORER.Credit: Coast & Geodetic Survey Historical Image Collection. |  | Bell Telephone Laboratories, Murray Hill, New Jersey. Acoustics auditorium from above.Credit: Library of Congress. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| "Acoustics" is generally used as a noun (plural) -- approximately 100.00% of the time. "Acoustics" is used about 117 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Noun (plural) | 100% | 117 | 29,823 |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
| Country | Name |
| USA | Boston Acoustics Inc. |
| (more examples...) |
Source: compiled by the editor from Icon Group International, Inc.
Expressions using "acoustics": architectural acoustics ♦ Speech Acoustics. Additional references. | |
| Hypenated Usage | |
Ending with "acoustics": electro-acoustics, semi-acoustics. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Language | Translations for "acoustics"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Afrikaan | akoestiek. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Albanian | akustikë (acoustic, phonics). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bulgarian | акустика (phonics). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chinese | 声学. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Czech | akustika, akustiènost. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Danish | akustik. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dutch | geluidsleer, akoestiek. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Esperanto | akustiko. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Farsi | صوت شناسی (Phonemics, Phonetics). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Finnish | akustiikka (acoustic qualities), äänioppi. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
French | acoustique (acoustic, acoustic nerve, acoustical, nervus acusticus). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
German | Akustik (acoustic). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Greek | ακουστική. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hebrew | תורת "קול, ת"ו"" (resonance), אקוסטיק". (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hungarian | akusztika. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Icelandic | hljóðeðlisfræði. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Indonesian | akustik (acoustical). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Italian | acustica. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Kanji | 音響効果 (sound effects), 音響学 . (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Katakana | お"きょうがく, お"きょう"うか (sound effects). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Korean | 음향효과. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Manx | sheeanoilid, co-vingys (concord, consonance, harmony). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pig Latin | acousticsay acústica (phonogram). (various references) acusticã (phonies). (various references) акустика (phonics). (various references) akustika. (various references) acústica (acoustic, acoustical, phonics). (various references) akustik (accoustics, acoustical, phonics). (various references) akustik (acoustic, audible, whispering), akustík, yankılanım, sesbilim (phonetics, phonology), ses dağılımı, ses düzení. (various references) акустика (phonics). (various references) clybodeg. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Derivations | |
Words ending with "acoustics": bioacoustics, electroacoustics, psychoacoustics. (additional references) | |
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"Acoustics" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: accostic, accoustic, accoustics, accustic, acroustic, acsoutics. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "acoustics" (pronounced ukuw"stiks) |
| 5 | -s t i k s | ballistics, characteristics, Criminalistics, diagnostics, domestics, gymnastics, linguistics, logistics, mystics, onomastics, plastics, statistics, thermoplastics. |
| 4 | -t i k s | acrobatics, aerobatics, aeronautics, aesthetics, analytics, anesthetics, antibiotics, antics, asthmatics, astronautics, athletics, attics, automatics, batiks, charismatics, cosmetics, critics, diabetics, diuretics, exotics, fanatics, genetics, geopolitics, hypnotics, informatics, kinetics, Magnetics, mathematics, narcotics, numismatics, optics, orthodontics, phonetics, prosthetics, robotics, romantics, semantics, semiotics, skeptics, synthetics, systematics, tactics, therapeutics. |
| 3 | -i k s | academics, acrylics, aerobics, aerodynamics, affix, alcoholics, analgesics, anorexics, apparatchiks, appendix, astrophysics, atmospherics, avionics, basics, beatniks, bioethics, biologics, biophysics, bishoprics, calisthenics, Calix, calyx, catholics, ceramics, cervix, civics, classics, clerics, clinics, comics, conics, cynics, demographics, dynamics, eccentrics, econometrics, economics, electrics, electrodynamics, electronics, epics, epidemics, ergonomics, ethics, ethnics, eugenics, fabrics, forensics, generics, geometrics, geriatrics, gimmicks, graphics, harmonics, helix, hemodynamics, heroics, hieroglyphics, histrionics, hydraulics, hysterics, ionics, italics, kibbutzniks, limericks, lyrics, macroeconomics, matrix, mavericks, mechanics, medics, metaphysics, metrics, microeconomics, microelectronics, micrographics, mimics, mnemonics, mosaics, Nucleonics, obstetrics, onyx, oryx, panics, paramedics, Pediatrics, Phenix, Phoenix, phonics, photovoltaics, physics, polemics, prefix, psychics, publics, pyrotechnics, refuseniks, relics, reprographics, republics, sonics, specifics, sputniks, stoics, suffix, Technics, tectonics, theatrics, tonics, topics, toxics, tropics, workaholics. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "a-c-c-i-o-s-s-t-u" | |
-1 letter: acoustic, caustics. | |
-2 letters: accosts, casuist, caustic, scotias, stuccos. | |
-3 letters: accost, ascots, cactus, ciscos, cistus, coacts, coasts, coatis, coitus, custos, scotia, scouts, stoics, stucco. | |
-4 letters: ascot, ascus, autos, cacti, casts, casus, cisco, cists, coact, coast, coati, coats, cocas, costa, costs, cusso, cutis, ictus, iotas, oasis, oasts, ossia, ostia, ousts, satis, scats, scots, scout, scuta, scuts, situs, stoai, stoas, stoic, suits, tacos. | |
-5 letters: acts, aits, asci, auto, cast, cats, ciao, cist, coat, coca, coss, cost, cots, cuss, cuts, iota, oast, oats, ocas, ossa, otic, oust, outs, sacs, sati, scat, scot, scut, sics, sits, sots, sous, stoa, suit, taco, taos, tass, taus, tics, toss, tuis, utas. | |
| Words containing the letters "a-c-c-i-o-s-s-t-u" | |
+2 letters: accusations, disaccustom. | |
+3 letters: acousticians, bioacoustics, coruscations, disaccustoms, sacculations, sansculottic. | |
+4 letters: chiaroscurist, consultancies, disaccustomed. | |
+5 letters: accustomations, antiscorbutics, chiaroscurists, conceptualises, conceptualisms, conceptualists, disaccustoming, fasciculations, pococurantisms, psychoacoustic. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
Hexadecimal (or equivalents, 770AD-1900s) (references)41 63 6F 75 73 74 69 63 73 |
| Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519; backwards) (references)
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| American Sign Language (origins from 1620-1817 in Italy and, especially, France) (references)
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| Semaphore (1791, in France) (references)
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| Braille (1829, in France) (references)
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Morse Code (1836) (references).- -.-. --- ..- ... - .. -.-. ... |
| Dancing Men (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, 1903) (references)
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Binary Code (1918-1938, probably earlier) (references)01000001 01100011 01101111 01110101 01110011 01110100 01101001 01100011 01110011 |
HTML Code (1990) (references)A c o u s t i c s |
ISO 10646 (1991-1993) (references)0041 0063 006F 0075 0073 0074 0069 0063 0073 |
| British Sign Language (Fingerspelling, BSL; 1992, British Deaf Association Dictionary of British Sign Language) (references)
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Encryption (beginner's substitution cypher): (references)356981878586756985 |
| 1. Definition 2. Crosswords 3. Usage: Modern 4. Usage: Commercial | 5. Images: Photo Album 6. Usage Frequency 7. Names: Company Usage 8. Expressions | 9. Translations: Modern 10. Derivations 11. Rhymes 12. Anagrams | 13. Orthography 14. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
