What Is Noise Pollution ?

Countries vary in the way they define noise pollution.

In Mexico, noise is " any undesirable sound that is a nuisance or
harmfull to persons. "

New Zealand considers noise as excessive when it is " of such nature as to unreasonably interfere with the peace,
comfort and convenience of any person. "

Two famous scientists, Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, and Heinrich Hertz, a German physicist,
are closely associated with the measurement of sound.

Bels, or more commonly decibles ( one tenth of a bel ),
measure relative loudness , whereas hertz measure the pitch,
or frequency, of a sound.
When noise is measured, reports generally refer to the decibles of the sound.

* Noise levels are generally determined by useing a meter that measures sound in decibles.
Since the ear hears some frequencies more acutely then others,
the meter is designed to respond similarly *
But who determines how much disturbance a sound causes ?

You, the hearer !

" For nuisance - value , the human ear remains the best detector,
" notes The Independent of London.