[Physics] mathematical relation between the volume of a speaker diaphragm and the intensity of sound it produces

acoustics

I am trying to find out how speaker cones of different diaphragm volumes will produce a certain intensity of sound. Is there a relation that could be used after the volume of the cone has been found?

Best Answer

Here is my back-of-the-envope calculation. The volume of the speaker and the intensity of the sound are proportional.

The intensity $I$ of the sound is essentially the amount of energy that is transferred to the air in a unit of time. This, in turn, is proportional to the surface area $a$ of the diaphragm (twice the area, twice the column of air that is displaced). Since the area and volume $v$ are related by $a \propto v^{2/3}$, one would imagine that $I\propto v^{2/3}$. Remember that the intensity of the sound is not the same as the loudness $l$ of the sound (in $\mathrm{dB}$, say) that you would perceive. The latter is a logarithm of the intensity. The relation between the volume and the loudness would be $l\propto \log{v^{2/3}}.$ The base of the logarithm is irrelevant for proportionality.

One more thing to consider is the amplitude $A$ of the oscillating motion of the diaphragm. If the speaker is larger, this amplitude will be proportionally larger. (This does require an equal increase in the potential or Voltage applied to the speaker.) The amplitude is proportional to the intensity of the produced sound. Furthermore, given that the speakers of different sizes have the same shape, $A\propto v^{1/3}$. Taking both this and the surface area in account, we find that $I\propto Aa\propto v$ and consequently $l\propto \log v$.

The intensity of the sound and the volume of the speaker are proportional, which is to say $$v=\frac{I}{\rho} ,$$ for some $\rho$. This constant of proportionality has the SI-unit $\mathrm{Wm^{-1/3}}$, so it is a power density.

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