DMI ST EUGENE UNIVERSITY

IT

MODULE CODE: 099PH13

MODULE NAME: ENGINEERING PHYSICS

SEMESTER: III

ASSIGNMENT TUTOR: MR TRUST MOONGA

ASSIGNMENT TITLE: REVERBERATION TIME AND ABSORPTION COEFFICIENT

STUDENT NAME: ZUZE. D. MWENDA

REG NO: 16211055013

SUBMISSION DATE: 2ND JUNE 2017

CONTENT

1. INTRODUCTION

2. EXPRESSION FOR REVERBERATION TIME

3. ABSORPTION COEFFICIENT

4. MEASUREMENT FOR ABSORPTION COEFFICIENT

5. CONCLUSION

6. REFERENCE
INTRODUCTION

According to Sabine the reverberation time is defined as the time take by a sound to fall one

millionth of its initial value, when the source of sound is cut off.

EXPRESSION FOR REVERBERATION TIME

T = 0.161 V/A

A = S1 a1 +S2 a2 +

where V is the room volume in cubic meters, and A is the total absorption in square meters.
Sabine's reverberation formula has been applied successfully for many years to determine material
absorption coefficients by means of reverberation rooms. Keeping in mind some conditions with
regard to the sound field diffusion and the value of A, Sabine's formula is still widely accepted as
a very useful estimation method for the reverberation time in rooms.

ABSORPTION COEFFICIENT

The absorption coefficient of a surface is defined as the reciprocal of its area which absorbs the
same amount of sound energy as absorbed by a unit area of an open window.

MEASUREMENT OF ABSORPTION COEFFICIENT

Let us consider a sample for which the absorption coefficient (am) is to be measured. Initia lly
without this material the reverberation time in a room is measured and let it be T1. Now the given
sample is kept inside the room and again the reverberation time is measured and let it be T2.

Then from Sabines formula

For case (i) without the sample

T1 = 0.161 V/A (1)

A = S1 a1 +S2 a2 +

For case (ii) including the sample

T2 = 0.161V/A+am sm (2)

am = absorption coefficient of the material to be found

sm = surface area of the material.

Therefore from eqn.(1) we have

A = 0.161V/T1 .(3)

From eqn.(2) we have

A + am sm = 0.161V/T2 ..(4)

Subtracting eqn.(3) from eqn.(4) we have

am sm = 0.161V (1/T2 1/T1 )

or

am = 0.161V/sm (T1 T2 /T1 T2 )

CONCLUSION

Thus the expression of reverberation time is explained and absorption coefficient of a material is
determined.
REFERENCE

1. G.Senthil Kumar, Engineering Physics, Acoustics, Chapter 3.

2. Sabines Reverberation Formula - http://www.acoustics-engineering.com/html/sabin.html
3. Sound Absorption - http://www.acoustic-glossary.co.uk/sound-absorption.htm