In relation to decibels, what does a change of 10 dB represent?

A change of 10 dB represents a tenfold increase in sound intensity due to the logarithmic nature of the decibel scale. The decibel scale is a logarithmic unit used to express the ratio of a value, typically power or intensity, relative to a reference level. When dealing with acoustic power, an increase of 10 dB signifies that the sound intensity is multiplied by ten.

This is based on the formula for calculating decibels:

[

\text{dB} = 10 \times \log_{10} \left(\frac{I}{I_0}\right)

]

where (I) is the sound intensity being measured and (I_0) is the reference intensity. Therefore, if you increase the decibel level by 10, the ratio expressed by the logarithmic function results in an intensity that is ten times greater than the original level.

In practical terms, this means that a sound that is 10 dB louder than another is perceived as significantly more intense, representing a substantial difference in the acoustic output.