Definition of ambient noise - What it is, Meaning and Concept

noise is the sound without articulation that is annoying. Ambient , meanwhile, is that linked to the environment (context, circumstances).

The notion of ambient noise , therefore, refers to the sounds unpleasant and even harmful that modify the conditions considered normal or tolerable in a certain region.Excessive ambient noise causes what is known as acoustic pollution .

The environmental noise is a typical problem of the big cities.It is generated by actions that the human being performs, such as certain industrial or commercial activities, the traffic of motor vehicles and the reproduction of music at a high volume.When these noises occur simultaneously and for extended periods, they can cause damage to people's health.

Take the case of an individual whose house is in a avenue .The environmental noise of the place can be formed by the engines and horns of cars and other means of transport, the machines used in the construction of a building, the music that leaves a dance floor and the drums and the shouts of protesters protesting there.All these environmental noises constitute an acoustic pollution that can generate the person who lives on the avenue from difficulties to rest to problems to study or concentrate on work, going through problems in the auditory system.

As much as the noise is not so intense, if the auditory system is exposed to it for prolonged periods, it is inevitable that a negative effect will occur, which in this case it is called socioacusia .One of the most obvious symptoms of this problem is the presence of a "whistle" that only the affected person can perceive.

Hearing a whistle as a result of exposure to ambient noise is a sign that the ear is in trouble and, although this symptom may disappear in a few days, the disorder will get worse unless the noise is eliminated, reaching even to deafness .

To minimize environmental noise, it is possible to appeal to building materials that absorb or isolate the noise or act on the sources that cause pollution (encouraging the use of bicycles instead of cars, for example).

People born in a large city, where ambient noise is common currency, tend to get used to living with this point.problem that just realize its seriousness when they spend some time in the countryside or somewhere quieter.Although it is difficult to believe, there are those who even having tasted peace can not help but crave back to the city , since they are too accustomed to their characteristics.

For measuring ambient noise and its impact, various indicators are used based on the sound pressure level .It is known by the abbreviations NPS or Lp , serves to identify the intensity of sound produced by a given pressure, that is, the sound that an individual can perceive at a given time.The unit used for its measurement is the decibel (dB) and its two extremes are the hearing threshold (0 db) and the of dolor (120 dB).

On the other hand, there is also talk of equivalent continuous sound pressure level (NPSeq) to define the constant sound pressure level (as mentioned in the previous paragraph, this is expressed in decibels) which has the same total energy (this is also called dose ) as the noise that has been measured.Other indicators are the sound exposure level , equivalent day-night level and peaks maximum and minimum .