Acoustic pole

Professional Definition

An acoustic field is an area in an elastic medium where acoustic waves occur.

From an engineering perspective, it is a spacetime distribution of physical quantities characterizing a sound wave. The fundamental parameters describing the acoustic field include: acoustic pressure, particle velocity of the medium, and acoustic energy density. Each point in this field has a specific state of vibration at a given moment, which allows for the mathematical mapping of sound propagation in any medium (air, water, or solid body).

Acoustics in Simple Words

Imagine a surface of a lake into which a stone has been thrown. The ripples that spread across the water are waves, and the entire surface of the lake that has been disturbed by them is equivalent to the acoustic field. In the case of air, this field is an invisible map of pressure changes. When someone speaks in a room, all the air in that space becomes an acoustic field – every particle of air in this area starts to vibrate, transmitting energy further. It is the zone of influence of the sound source.

Summary

An acoustic field is a fundamental concept in the physics of sound, signifying any space affected by sound waves. Its analysis is crucial when designing concert halls, recording studios, and sound reinforcement systems.