Alexis J.

Detrick
Science Form VII
2/8/15

Sound Test of Common Classroom Materials

Question: Which common classroom object produced the loudest sound (dB) when
recorded using logger Pro?
Hypothesis: We believe that from the 6 objects tested (clapping hands, tapping markers,
penny shaking, bouncing balls, crumpling paper, and stapler clapping) that clapping hands will
produce the highest dBs of sound because you can slap your hands together harder, making the
noise as loud as possible (very loud)
Materials:

Logger Pro Software

Computer
Microphone
Logger Pro
USB Cords
Batteries (AA) for logger Pro
4 AAA batteries
Charger
Thick, paperback book
Stapler
Penny Shaker
Ball
Dry Erase Marker
Dry Eraser
Paper
Pencil

Procedures:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)

Set up logger Pro software

Set up logger Pro, microphone, etc. (apparatus)
Select material
Carry out a 1 minuet test
Save data
Repeat steps 3-5
Plot graphs
Print a graph for each trial
Analyze data

Graphs: (see attached)

Alexis J. Detrick
Science Form VII
2/8/15

Data Analysis:
Penny Shaking
#3
Low: 85 dB
High: 103 dB
Range: 18 dB
Error: slight spike in data
#4
Low: 78 dB
High: 84 dB
Range: 6 dB
Error: none
#5
Low: 79 dB
High: 99 dB
Range: 20 dB
Error: difference in setting of collection
Total Range: 25 dB
Total High: 103 dB
Total Low: 78 dB
Clapping Hands:
#1
Low: 0 dB
High: 96 dB

Alexis J. Detrick
Science Form VII
2/8/15

Range: 96 dB
Error: only collected two points of data

#2
Low: 79 dB
High: 85 dB
Range: 6 dB
Error: none
Total Range: 96 dB
Total High: 96 dB
Total Low: 0 dB

Stapler Clapping:
#1
Low: 0 dB
High: 91 dB
Range: 91 dB
Error: difference in setting of collection
#4
Low: 86 dB
High: 93 dB
Range: 7 dB
Error: none
#5

Alexis J. Detrick
Science Form VII
2/8/15

Low: 89 dB
High: 101 dB
Range: 12 dB
Error: none
Total Range: 101 dB
Total High: 101 dB
Total Low: 0 dB
Tapping Markers
#2
Low: 78 dB
High: 97 dB
Range: 19 dB
Error: erratic changes in sound levels
#5
Low: 77 dB
High: 94 dB
Range: 17 dB
Error: none
#4
Low: 76 dB
High: 83 dB
Range: 7 dB
Error: none
#3

Alexis J. Detrick
Science Form VII
2/8/15

Low: 79 dB
High: 90 dB
Range: 11 dB
Error: none
Total Range: 21 dB
Total High: 97 dB
Total Low: 76 dB
Crumpling Paper:
#2
Low: 69 dB
High: 75 dB
Range: 6 dB
Error: none
#4
Low: 74 dB
High: 79 dB
Range: 5 dB
Error: none
#3
Low: 73 dB
High: 77 dB
Range: 4 dB
Error: none
Total Range: 10 dB

Alexis J. Detrick
Science Form VII
2/8/15

Total High: 79 dB
Total Low: 69 dB
Bouncing a Ball:
#4
Low: 71 dB
High: 78 dB
Range: 7 dB
Error: none
#3
Low: 46 dB
High: 78 dB
Range: 32 dB
Error: spike in data
#2
Low: 75 dB
High: 81dB
Range: 6 dB
Error: none
Total Range: 35 dB
Total High: 81 dB
Total Low: 46 dB

Alexis J. Detrick
Science Form VII
2/8/15

Results:
Shaking Pennies showed a range of 25 dB with the lowest value being louder than
a vacuum cleaner and quieter than city traffic and an alarm clock. The highest value
ranged between a chain saw and a power saw. The reason for this variation is because the
distances between the pennies and microphone were different as was the intensities.
Clapping Hands showed a range of 96 dB with the lowest value (0) being from silence to
a whisper and the highest value (96) being from a hair dryer to a chain saw. This drastic
range was probably caused by the amount of hands clapping and the distance the hand(s)
was from the microphone. Stapler Clapping showed a range of 101 dB with its lowest
value (0) being at or slightly above the level of silence. The highest value (101) had a
noise level that was between a chain saw and a power saw. The reason for this unusually
large range is that the staplers could have been different distances from the microphone
and that there may have been different amounts of stapler being clapped in different
ways. Tapping Markers had a range of 21 dB with its lowest point at 76 dB with a sound
level that is from a vacuum cleaner to an alarm clock. Its highest point is at 97 dB with a
sound level that is from a hair dryer to a snowmobile. Once again, the distance that the
markers are being tapped at plays a vital role in the level of sound that the microphone
picks up. Crumpling Paper showed a range of 10 dB with its lowest value of 69 being at
the noise level of normal conversation to the noise level of a vacuum cleaner. Its highest
value of 79 had a sound level between a vacuum to an alarm clock. This seems like a
normal range considering the fact that the paper was probably crumpled differently and at
a different proximity to the microphone. Bouncing a Ball showed a range of 35 dB. Its
lowest value (46) is at the sound level between a quiet room and moderate rainfall. Its
highest value (81) is at the sound level between an alarm clock and a hair dryer. This
large range is probably due to how hard you are bouncing the ball, how close to the
microphone it is, and the type of ball used.
Conclusion:
In our hypothesis we stated that from the 6 objects tested clapping hands would produce
the highest dBs of sound because you can slap your hands together harder, making the noise as
loud as possible. (Very loud) My hypothesis was disproved meaning we were incorrect. We
actually found that shaking pennies created the highest levels of noise. A few errors made were
an insufficient number of trials for one object, inconsistencies in the proximity of objects to the
microphone, inconsistencies in the materials, technological errors, and differences in levels of
intensities. This experiment helped educate us on how loud common classroom objects can be.
Most of them were above 60 dB, which is the sound level of normal conversation.

Alexis J. Detrick
Science Form VII
2/8/15