What dB loss is typically associated with spherical spreading?

Spherical spreading refers to the way sound propagates through a medium, radiating outward in a spherical pattern from a point source. As this sound wave travels away from the source, its intensity decreases. The rate of this decrease in intensity can be quantified in decibels (dB).

For spherical spreading, sound travels through three-dimensional space, and the energy of the sound wave is spread over the surface area of a sphere, which increases with the square of the distance from the source. As a result, for every doubling of the distance from the sound source, the intensity decreases by a factor of four. In terms of decibels, this translates to a loss of approximately 6 dB for each doubling of distance. Therefore, the typical dB loss associated with spherical spreading is 6 dB.

Understanding this concept is crucial in fields such as underwater acoustics, marine engineering, and other applications where sound propagation is analyzed, allowing for more effective planning and execution of experiments or operations involving sound in aquatic environments.