If you move twice as far away from a lawn mower running in an open field,the amplitude of the sound you hear will be ___________ what it was before.
A)the same as
B)twice
C)half
D)four times
E)one fourth

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The amplitude of sound decreases with distance from the source according to the inverse square law, which states that the intensity of sound (and other forms of radiation) decreases with the square of the distance from the source. Therefore, if you move twice as far away from the lawn mower, the intensity of the sound you hear will decrease by a factor of four (2 squared). However, since amplitude is directly proportional to intensity, the amplitude of the sound you hear will decrease by a factor of two, or half.

If You Move Twice as Far Away from a Lawn