What unit of measure is commonly used to express the intensity of sound?

The unit commonly used to express the intensity of sound is the decibel (dB). The decibel scale is a logarithmic scale that quantifies sound intensity or level in a way that aligns with how humans perceive changes in sound volume. Whenever there is a 10 dB increase, it corresponds to a tenfold increase in intensity, but perception of loudness doesn’t increase linearly, which is why the decibel scale is particularly effective for measuring sound.

Hertz refers to the frequency of sound waves, indicating how many cycles occur in one second, but it does not measure the intensity. Newton is the unit of force, and while it can be related to pressure in a broader physics context, it’s not used for measuring sound intensity. Pascal is a unit of pressure and can relate to sound pressure levels, but again, it does not directly measure sound intensity in the way that decibels do. Thus, the decibel is the appropriate unit for conveying the intensity of sound in a way that best aligns with human auditory perception.