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Decibels

Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examWritten by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025

Definition

Decibels are a unit of measurement used to quantify the intensity or loudness of sound. They measure the ratio between the level of a particular sound and a reference level.