Noise pollution: Sources of noise

Sources of noise

Where does it generate from?

The sources of noise may vary according to daily activities. They sources may be domestic (movement of utensils, cutting and peeling of fruits/vegetables etc.) natural (shores, birds/animal shouts, wind movement, sea tide movement, water falls etc.), commercial (vendor shouts, automobiles, aeroplanes, marriages, laboratory, machinery etc.) industrial (generator sets, boilers, plant operations, trolley movement, transport vehicles, pumps, motors etc.). The noise levels of some of the sources are summarised at table 4. Typical surveys pertaining to causes of noise pollution, reveal the various sources of noise pollution and frequency variation of their occurrences. The results of a survey conducted in Central London, way back in 1961-62 reveals the presence of noise pollution even in the early '60s (Table 5). Road traffic is identified as the major source of noise pollution while at home or outdoors or at work.

What is noise?

In simple terms, noise is unwanted sound. Sound is a form of energy which is emitted by a vibrating body and on reaching the ear causes the sensation of hearing through nerves. Sounds produced by all vibrating bodies are not audible. The frequency limits of audibility are from 20 HZ to 20,000 HZ.

A noise problem generally consists of three inter-related elements- the source, the receiver and the transmission path. This transmission path is usually the atmosphere through which the sound is propagated, but can include the structural materials of any building containing the receiver Noise may be continuous or intermittent. Noise may be of high frequency or of low frequency which is undesired for a normal hearing. For example, the typical cry of a child produces sound, which is mostly unfavorable to normal hearing. Since it is unwanted sound, we call it noise.