KEEP IT QUIETProject Done by: Jon Prueter

ABSTRACTGoal: The goal and importance of this project

was to show what materials are best to put up as walls to soundproof a room.

Hypothesis: If you compare plywood, composite, drywall, and spruce wood to resist the most sound, then composite will resist the most sound.

ABSTRACT (cont.)VariablesManipulated: The different types of material

(plywood, drywall, spruce, or composite) placed in front of the decimeter in the box.

Responding: The level of sound recorded from the different types of material used to block the sound.

Data Summary: From the data, the best material to resist the most sound was a composite material. Only an average of 64.14 decibels were not resisted by the composite.

REVIEW OF LITERATURETerms:Sound waves- a longitudinal wave in an elastic

medium, esp. a wave producing an audible sensation.Decibels- a unit used to express the intensity of a sound

wave.Noise Pollution- unwanted or harmful noise, as from

automobiles, airplanes, or industrial workplaces.Acoustics- the qualities or characteristics of a room,

auditorium, stadium, etc., that determine the audibility or fidelity of sounds in it.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE (cont.)

• Sound waves travel as a vibration through air and continues as a sound until the vibration stops.

• The acoustics of an area that you are trying to sound proof will have a major factor on the decibel level of the room.

INTRODUCTION

Question: When testing the material plywood, composite, drywall, and spruce wood, which one resists the most sound and is the most sound proof.

Hypothesis: If you compare plywood, composite, drywall, and spruce wood to resist the most sound, then composite will resist the most sound.

INTRODUCTION (cont.)

Problem: When comparing plywood, composite, drywall, and spruce wood to block the most sound from the getting to opposite side of the piece of material, which will produce the quietest sound?

EXPIREMENTAL DESIGNMaterials:• 1’ x 1’ sheet of plywood (1 inch thick)• 1’ x 1’ sheet of drywall (1 inch thick)• 1’ x 1’ sheet of spruce wood (1 inch thick)• 1’ x 1’ sheet of composite (1 inch thick)• 2 clamps that must extend past a foot• 4, 1’ x 1’ sheets of clear plastic (1/2 inch thick)• Decimeter• Stereo • Powered dill, with 1/8 thick bit and Phillips bit• 10, 1 inch deep, by ¼ inch thick screws• Power supply• Paper and pencil for recording data

EXPIREMENTAL DESIGN (cont.)

Materials:

Decimeter 4, 1’ x 1’ sheets of clear plastic Power Supply4 materials tested

2 clamps Stereo Drill and 10 screws

EXPIREMENTAL DESIGN (cont.)

Setup

Stereo

1’ x 1’ sheet of plywood, drywall, spruce, or composite.

Decimeter placed on ground centered in the box

4 clear pieces of plastic to form 3 sides and a top connected with screws.

KEY

Clamps (one on each side)

Screws

EXPIREMENTAL DESIGN (cont.)VariablesControl: The level of sound without any type of material placed in

front of the decimeter in the box.Manipulated: The different types of material (plywood, drywall,

spruce, or composite) placed in front of the decimeter in the box.

Responding: The level of sound recorded from the different types of material used to block the sound.

Constant: Distance from speaker to decimeter, distance from the material to the decimeter, where the decimeter is placed in the box, level of sound played out of the speaker at 80 decibels.

PROCEDURE1. Take the four pieces of 1’ x 1’ sheets of clear plastic and lay them out.2. Take three of them and create a “C” shape using two screws to

connect each side with screws by pre-drilling two holes on each side (see setup picture).

3. Place the fourth piece on the top of the already constructed shape and screw down by drilling three holes on each side and connect them with screws (when placed on the ground, only on side should not be covered).

4. Place the speaker of the stereo on foot away from the beginning of the plastic box.

5. Place the decimeter inside the box so that it is centered depending on the size of the decimeter.

PROCEDURE (cont.)6. Place your first type of material being tested on the side that is not

already covered that should be facing the speaker. Using the two clamps, clamps the piece of material to the back of the plastic box, so the clamps are halfway up the side of the box. Do this for both sides and make sure the clamp is tight enough so that the material will not fall.

7. Play the sound out of the speaker that should be at 80 decibels for twenty seconds. After every five second record the noise level indicated on the decimeter. Repeat this four times for every trial. Average all the reading up for each different trial performed.

8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 for all four of the materials being tested, using 7 trials for each material.

9. Record data.

PROCEDURE (cont.)Pictures

RESULTS

Material Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5 Trial 6 Trial 7 Trial 8 Trial 9 Average

Composite 64.1 64.2 64.1 64.1 64.1 64.1 64.2 64.2 64.2 64.14

Plywood 69.5 69.5 69.5 69.5 69.5 69.5 69.5 69.5 69.5 69.5

Drywall 68.5 69.0 68.5 68.5 68.75 68.5 68.5 68.5 68.5 68.58

Spruce 66.0 66.0 65.75 66.0 66.0 66.0 66.0 66.0 66.0 65.97

Amount of Decibels Not Resisted

RESULTS (cont.)

Control:• Control was 80 decibels for all nine trials.

Reasons for Outcome• Composite- most dense• Plywood- least dense

DATA ANALYSISAmount of Decibels Not Resisted

Spruce was the second best material, which was also the lightest, was the natural material.

CONCLUSIONS

• Hypothesis was supported , stating that composite would be the best soundproofing material out of the four materials tested.

• Ways that I would change the experiment after doing it would be to build model of a wall frame to make the testing ore realistic.

FUTURE STUDIES

• Different sound frequencies’ effect on drywall.

• Recycled wood composite versus recycled plastic composite.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The researcher wants to recognize Mrs. Beth

Richards in all her work with all the students and himself. He would also like to recognize Dr. Ken Roper in allowing the researcher to use the decibel meter used in his project.

BIBLIOGRAPHY• Federal Aviation Administration (DOT), W. (2001). Study—The Feasibility, Practicability and cost of the

Soundproofing in Schools, Hospitals, and Public Health Facilities Located Near Airports. Report to Congress. http://search.ebscohost.com/

• Peters, R. Soundproofing materials for all of your needs.. (n.d.). Retrieved October 27,

2009, from Soundproofing America Website: http://www.soundproofingamerica.com/ • Texas A and M Univ., C. (1999). Building Trades. Block IV. Wall Framing. http://search.ebscohost.com/ • Recycled Wood/Plastic Composite Lumber. Retrieved January 2, 2010 from Tool Base

Website: http://www.toolbase.org/Technology-Inventory/Decks-Patios-Fences/recycled- composite-lumber • Watkins, T. (2005, February 2). Soundproofing 101. Retrieved October 26 , 2009, from

Soundproofing 101 website: http://www.soundproofing101.com/soundproofing_7.htm • Zitzewitz, Paul W., Mark Davids, (etc). (2002). Physics: Principles and Problems. New York. McGraw-Hill/Glencoe.