5-9AcousticImpedance.pdf

5-9 Acoustic Impedance Acoustic impedance is the opposition of a medium to a longitudinal wave motion. It characterizes the relationship between the acting sound pressure and the resulting particle velocity. This impedance is called the specific acoustic impedance of the medium because it characterizes the medium itself. When a sound source transfers its energy to a medium, however, the medium opposes the movement of the source with some kind of average impedance that is dependent not only on the medium, but also on the size of the air mass pushed by the sound source. Similarly, in some cases the medium itself can vibrate as a mechanical system (e.g., air columns in pipes and horns) and it is characterized by standing waves rather than propagating waves. Therefore, in acoustics another type of impedance is needed that is analogous to the mechanical flow impedance in a hydraulic system (which determines the ratio of the fluid pressure to the amount of fluid flowing through a pipe in a unit of time). This analog to mechanical flow impedance is called acoustic impedance (or acoustic flow impedance). Specific acoustic impedance and acoustic impedance characterize different physical situations; however, in many specialized articles and books only one of these terms is needed. For example, the concept of specific acoustic impedance is used in room acoustics and outdoor sound propagation, and the concept of acoustic impedance applies to situations considered in music acoustics and electroacoustics. In such cases, the same term—acoustic impedance—can be used and it is important to realize which of the two impedances is considered. Copyright © 2009 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams Wilkins 2