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Sound power or acoustic power is the rate at which sound energy is emitted, reflected, transmitted or received, per unit time.[1] It is defined[2] as "through a surface, the product of the sound pressure, and the component of the particle velocity, at a point on the surface in the direction normal to the surface, integrated over that surface." The SI unit of sound power is the watt (W).[1] It relates to the power of the sound force on a surface enclosing a sound source, in air. For a sound source, unlike sound pressure, sound power is neither room-dependent nor distance-dependent. Sound pressure is a property of the field at a point in space, while sound power is a property of a sound source, equal to the total power emitted by that source in all directions. Sound power passing through an area is sometimes called sound flux or acoustic flux through that area.

Sound measurements
 Sound pressure p, SPL,LPA
 Particle velocity v, SVL
 Particle displacement δ
 Sound intensity I, SIL
 Sound power P, SWL, LWA
 Sound energy W
 Sound energy density w
 Sound exposure E, SEL
 Acoustic impedance Z
 Speed of sound c
 Audio frequency AF
 Transmission loss TL


Sound power level LWAEdit


Regulations often specify a method for measurement[3] that integrates sound pressure over a surface enclosing the source. LWA specifies the power delivered to that surface in decibels relative to one picowatt. Devices (e.g., a vacuum cleaner) often have labeling requirements and maximum amounts they are allowed to produce. The A-weighting scale is used in the calculation as the metric is concerned with the loudness as perceived by the human ear. Measurements[4] in accordance with ISO 3744 are taken at 6 to 12 defined points around the device in a hemi-anechoic space. The test environment can be located indoors or outdoors. The required environment is on hard ground in a large open space or hemi-anechoic chamber (free-field over a reflecting plane.)

Table of selected sound sourcesEdit

Here is a table of some examples.[5] For omnidirectional sources in free space, sound power in LwA is equal to sound pressure level in dB above 20 micropascals at a distance of 0.2821 m[6]

Situation and
sound source
Sound power
Sound power level
(dB ref 10−12 W)
Saturn V rocket 100,000,000 200
Project Artemis Sonar 1,000,000 180
Turbojet engine 100,000 170
Turbofan aircraft at take-off 1,000 150
Turboprop aircraft at take-off 100 140
Machine gun
Large pipe organ
10 130
Symphony orchestra
Heavy thunder
Sonic boom
1 120
Rock concert (1970s)
Chain saw
Accelerating motorcycle
0.1 110
Lawn mower
Car at highway speed
Subway steel wheels
0.01 100
Large diesel vehicle 0.001 90
Loud alarm clock 0.0001 80
Relatively quiet vacuum cleaner 10−5 70
Hair dryer 10−6 60
Radio or TV 10−7 50
Low voice
10−8 40
Quiet conversation 10−9 30
Whisper of one person
Wristwatch ticking
10−10 20
Human breath of one person 10−11 10
Reference value 10−12 0

Mathematical definitionEdit

Sound power, denoted P, is defined by[7]



In a medium, the sound power is given by



  • A is the area of the surface;
  • ρ is the mass density;
  • c is the sound velocity;
  • p is the sound pressure.

For example, a sound at SPL = 85 dB or p = 0.356 Pa in air (ρ = 1.2 kg⋅m−3 and c = 343 m⋅s−1) through a surface of area A = 1 m2 normal to the direction of propagation (θ = 0°) has a sound energy flux P = 0.3 mW.


Relationships with other quantitiesEdit

Sound power is related to sound intensity:



  • A is the area;
  • I is the sound intensity.

Sound power is related sound energy density:



Sound power level definitionEdit

Sound power level, denoted LW and measured in dB, is defined by[8]



  • P is the sound power;
  • P0 is the reference sound power;
  • 1 Np = 1 is the neper;
  • 1 B = 1/2 ln 10 is the bel;
  • 1 dB = 1/20 ln 10 is the decibel.

The commonly used reference sound power in air is[9]





hence the reference value P0 = 1 pW.

Relationship with sound pressure levelEdit

The generic calculation of sound power from sound pressure is as follows:


where:   defines the area of a surface that wholly encompasses the source. This surface may be any shape, but it must fully enclose the source.

In the case of a sound source located in free field positioned over a reflecting plane (i.e. the ground), in air at ambient temperature, the sound power level at distance r from the sound source is approximately related to sound pressure level (SPL) by[11]



  • Lp is the sound pressure level;
  • A0 = 1 m2;
  •   defines the surface area of a hemisphere; and
  • r must be sufficient that the hemisphere fully encloses the source.

Derivation of this equation:


For a progressive spherical wave,

  (the surface area of sphere)

where z0 is the characteristic specific acoustic impedance.





The sound power estimated practically does not depend on distance. The sound pressure used in the calculation may be affected by distance due to viscous effects in the propagation of sound unless this is accounted for.


  2. ^ "ISO 80000-8(en) Quantities and Units - Acoustics". [ISO].
  3. ^ "ISO 3744:2010(en) Acoustics — Determination of sound power levels and sound energy levels of noise sources using sound pressure — Engineering methods for an essentially free field over a reflecting plane". [ISO]. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  4. ^ "EU Sound Power Regulation for Vacuum Cleaners". [NTi Audio]. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  5. ^ "Sound Power". The Engineering Toolbox. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
  6. ^ "Sound Power Level".

External linksEdit