What is Noise Pollution? Noise pollution is a type of energy pollution in which distracting, irritating, or damaging sounds are freely audible. As with other forms of energy pollution (such as heat and lightpollution), noise pollution contaminants are not physical particles, but rather waves that interfere with naturally-occurring waves of a similar type in the same environment. Thus, the definition of noise pollution is open to debate, and there is no clear border as to which sounds may constitute noise pollution. In the most narrow sense, sounds are considered noise pollution if they adversely affect wildlife, human activity, or are capable of damaging physical structures on a regular, repeating basis. In the broadest sense of the term, a sound may be considered noise pollution if it disturbs any natural process or causes human harm, even if the sound does not occur on a regular basis.
How does it effect to your ear? Your ears were designed to process naturally-occurring sounds, and they are beautifully adapted to handle that task. They are able to detect sounds of intensities that vary across many orders of magnitude, and to meaningfully transmit those signals to our brains. But they are not well equipped to deal with the high noise levels that are common today, because such loud sounds occur only rarely in nature. The ear is a complex structure, processing sound through several stages in the outer, middle, and inner ear. Although the eardrum may sometimes be ruptured by severe noise (acoustic trauma) or pressure changes, the part that is most vulnerable to damage by noise lies more deeply, in the inner ear, where the final processing takes place before the sound is converted into nerve impulses that are transmitted to the brain. The prominent structure in the inner ear is the spiral-shaped cochlea, which is a fluid-filled tube lined with delicate, microscopic hair cells that pick up the vibrations caused by sound waves. When they are overworked by too much exposure to loud sounds, the hair cells become metabolically exhausted and can temporarily lose their function. Fortunately, they are able to recover from the auditory fatigue caused by too much noise, but if overexposure is too long or too frequent, they can't cope, and they die. There is no pain or bleeding when this occurs.
Ways you can protect yourself from noise pollution:
How can science reduce noise pollution?
How does it effect to your ear? Your ears were designed to process naturally-occurring sounds, and they are beautifully adapted to handle that task. They are able to detect sounds of intensities that vary across many orders of magnitude, and to meaningfully transmit those signals to our brains. But they are not well equipped to deal with the high noise levels that are common today, because such loud sounds occur only rarely in nature. The ear is a complex structure, processing sound through several stages in the outer, middle, and inner ear. Although the eardrum may sometimes be ruptured by severe noise (acoustic trauma) or pressure changes, the part that is most vulnerable to damage by noise lies more deeply, in the inner ear, where the final processing takes place before the sound is converted into nerve impulses that are transmitted to the brain. The prominent structure in the inner ear is the spiral-shaped cochlea, which is a fluid-filled tube lined with delicate, microscopic hair cells that pick up the vibrations caused by sound waves. When they are overworked by too much exposure to loud sounds, the hair cells become metabolically exhausted and can temporarily lose their function. Fortunately, they are able to recover from the auditory fatigue caused by too much noise, but if overexposure is too long or too frequent, they can't cope, and they die. There is no pain or bleeding when this occurs.
Ways you can protect yourself from noise pollution:
- Know which noises can cause damage (those at or above 85 decibels)
- Turn your music down, especially when using headphones
- Wear earplugs or proper earmuffs when involved in a loud activity (special earplugs and earmuffs are available at hardware and sporting goods stores)
- Be alert to loud noise in your environment
- Protect the ears of children who are too young to protect their own
- Make your family and friends aware of the dangers of noise pollution
- If you think you have hearing loss, see your doctor or nurse. You should have a medical exam by an otolaryngologist (a doctor who works on the ears, nose, throat, head, and neck) and a hearing test by an audiologist (someone who tests and helps people with hearing loss)
Trees, not only absorb carbon dioxide, provide shade, prevent erosion, but they can also help muffle noise. Think of trees as big, leafy, air-purifying, oxygen-producing, white noise machines. Acting as shields, trees reduce the intensity of the sound waves considerably and it is the sound produced by the wind passing through the leaves that really helps muffle noise. A properly-designed buffer of trees and shrubs can reduce noise by about five to ten decibels-or about 50 percent as perceived by the human ear, according to the USDA National Agroforestry Center. For maximum effect, experts suggest planting a variety of both hedges or shrubs and taller trees to create a wall of foliage from the ground up. Such examples as cottonwoods, poplar and aspen trees are especially good at noise reduction because their leaf-shapes produce a good, strong rustling sound
Good job, you had the basic effects on the ear, but there are soooooo many more on humans and animals that you can search out. I like how you added the bit about trees, I never really thought of trees as a muffler of noise. Interesting.
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