Decibel scale, with some intuitive examples.
% Author: Izaak Neutelings (May 2020)
\documentclass[border=3pt,tikz]{standalone}
\tikzset{>=latex} % for LaTeX arrow head
\usepackage{etoolbox} % ifthen
\usepackage{xcolor}
\usepackage{physics}
\usepackage{siunitx}
\colorlet{myblue}{blue!50!black}
\colorlet{mypurple}{blue!40!red!95!black}
\colorlet{mygreen}{green!70!black!60}
\colorlet{myyellow}{yellow!90!black!60}
\colorlet{myred}{red!80!black!60}
\pgfdeclareverticalshading{rainbow}{100bp}{
color(0bp)=(red); color(25bp)=(red); color(35bp)=(yellow);
color(45bp)=(green); color(55bp)=(cyan); color(65bp)=(blue);
color(75bp)=(violet); color(100bp)=(violet)
}
\begin{document}
% SOUND DECIBEL SCALE
\begin{tikzpicture}[xscale=0.12]
\def\h{0.68}
\def\tick#1#2#3{\draw[thick,#2] (#1+.09) --++ (0,-.18) node[below=-2pt,scale=1] {\strut #3};}
% COLOR GRADIENT
\fill[left color=white,right color=mygreen]
(-7,0) rectangle (10,\h);
\fill[mygreen] (10,0) rectangle (80,\h);
\fill[left color=mygreen,right color=myyellow]
(75,0) rectangle (85,\h);
\fill[left color=myyellow,right color=myred]
(85,0) rectangle (125,\h);
\fill[left color=myred,right color=black!85]
(125,0) rectangle (140,\h);
% DECIBEL
\draw[->,thick,myblue] (-8,\h) -- (144,\h) node[below right=-3,scale=1.1] {$\beta$ [\si{dB}]};
\foreach \x in {0,10,...,130}{
\tick{\x,\h}{myblue}{$\x$}
}
\node[above right=-2,scale=0.9] at (10,1.15*\h) {\strut breathing};
\node[above right=-2,scale=0.9] at (27,1.15*\h) {\strut whisper};
\node[above=-4,scale=0.9,align=center]
at (45,1.15*\h) {computer\\[0mm]\strut fan};
\node[above right=-2,scale=0.9] at (53,1.15*\h) {\strut conversation};
\node[above=-4,scale=0.9,align=center]
at (85,1.15*\h) {busy\\[0mm]\strut traffic}; %vacuum cleaner
\node[above right=-2,scale=0.9] at (72,1.15*\h) {\strut car};
\node[above=-4,scale=0.9,align=center]
at (105,1.15*\h) {motor\\[-1mm]\strut cycle};
\node[above=-4,scale=0.9,align=center]
at (115,1.15*\h) {rock\\[-1mm]\strut concert};
\node[above right=-2,scale=0.9] at (122,1.15*\h) {\strut siren};
\node[above=-4,scale=0.9,align=center]
at (135,1.15*\h) {gun\\[-1mm]\strut shot};
% ARROWS
% +10 dB: 10^(10/20) = 3.1622776602
% +20 dB: 10^(20/20) = 10
\draw[->,thick,mypurple] (11, 1.85*\h) --++ ( 3,0) node[midway,above=-1] {$+\SI{3}{dB}$};
\draw[->,thick,mypurple] (27, 1.85*\h) --++ ( 10,0) node[midway,above=-1] {$+\SI{10}{dB}$};
\draw[->,thick,mypurple] (60, 1.85*\h) --++ ( 20,0) node[midway,above=-1] {$+\SI{20}{dB}$};
\draw[->,thick,mypurple] (11,-0.85*\h) --++ ( 3,0) node[midway,below=-1] {$\times2$};
\draw[->,thick,mypurple] (27,-0.85*\h) --++ ( 10,0) node[midway,below=-1] {$\times10$};
\draw[->,thick,mypurple] (60,-0.85*\h) --++ ( 20,0) node[midway,below=-1] {$\times100$};
\draw[->,thick,mypurple] (11,-2.45*\h) --++ (3.16,0) node[midway,below=-1] {$\times1.41$};
\draw[->,thick,mypurple] (27,-2.45*\h) --++ ( 10,0) node[pos=0.42,below=-1] {$\times3.16$};
\draw[->,thick,mypurple] (60,-2.45*\h) --++ ( 20,0) node[midway,below=-1] {$\times10$};
% INTENSITY
\draw[->,thick,myblue] (-8,0) -- (144,0) node[below right=-3,scale=1.1] {$I$ [\si{W/s^2}]};
\foreach \x/\i in {0/-12,20/-10,40/-8,60/-6,80/-4,100/-2,120/0}{
\ifnumcomp{\i}{<}{0}{
\tick{\x,0}{myblue}{$10^{\i}$}
}{
\tick{\x,0}{myblue}{$1$}
}
}
\node[below=-4,scale=0.9] at ( 31,-0.18*\h) {\strut faint};
\node[below=-4,scale=0.9] at ( 50,-0.18*\h) {\strut quiet};
\node[below=-4,scale=0.9] at ( 70,-0.18*\h) {\strut loud};
\node[below=-4,scale=0.9] at (110,-0.18*\h) {\strut pain};
\node[below=-4,scale=0.9] at (130,-0.18*\h) {\strut damage};
% WATTS
% I = P/(2*rho*v)
% rho = 1.225 kg/m3 air
% v = 343 m/s
% 2*rho*v = 2*1.225*343 = 840.35 kg.s/m2
% sqrt(2*1.225*343) = 28.9887909372
% sqrt(2*1.225*343)*1e-6/(20e-6) = 1.4494395469
% 10*log((2e-5)^2/(2*1.225*343)/1e-12) = -3.2240021308
\draw[->,thick,myblue] (-8,-1.6*\h) -- (144,-1.6*\h) node[below right=-3,scale=1.1] {$P$ [Pa]};
\foreach \x/\P in {0/0.00002,20/0.0002,40/0.002,60/0.02,80/0.2,100/2,120/20}{
\tick{\x-3.22,-1.6*\h}{myblue}{$\P$}
}
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}
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