Ch.

6: Logarithmic Unit The Decibel

Notes from EECE 281... "Ch. 6" refers to the EECE 281 book called "Electrical Engineering Uncovered"

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Logarithmic Scale
Engineers deal with data that can take on values over a HUGE range!!! i.e., Plotting Y vs. X
Plotting this on a linear scale doesnt show the data well so use logarithmic scale(s)
Y on log axis vs. X on linear axis, or Y on linear axis vs. X on log axis, or Y on log axis vs. X on log axis, depends on data

The following plots illustrate this!

Two sets of data that are very different, but you cant see it on the linear scale!!!
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12 10 8

x 10

12 10 8

x 10

Linear Vertical Scale

Linear Vertical Scale

Y1

6 4 2 0

Y2

6 4 2

100

200

300

400

500

600

100

200

300

400

500

600

10

10
5

10

Log Vertical Scale

10 10

Log Vertical Scale

10

Y1

10

Y2
10
2

10

10
1

10

10
0

10

100

2 00

300

4 00

500

600

10

100

2 00

300

4 00

500

600

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Logarithmic Scale
Instead of using a logarithmic axis
First take log of data; then plot on linear axis
log(Y) vs. X, or Y vs. log(X), or log(Y) vs. log(X)

Option: Plot log(data) on linear axis

6

Option: Plot data on log axis

10
6

5.5

log10(Y1)

Y1

10

4.5

100

200

300

400

500

600

10

100

200

300

400

500

600

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Defining the Decibel

Building on this log10(data) idea Definition: use decibels as a logarithmic unit of measure for a ratio between two powers
P 10log10 1 P 14 4 2 2 3 14 244 4 bel 3
decibel
P1/P2 (nondB) 1000 = 103 100 = 102 10 = 101 1 = 100 0.1 = 10-1 P1/P2 (dB) 30 dB 20 dB 10 dB 0 dB 10 dB 20 dB 30 dB
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Know These

Powers of 10 are easy to convert to dB!!

Another Rule to Know!! P1/P2 = 2 ! ~ 3 dB

0.01 = 10-2 0.001 = 10-3

Extending the Decibel

Even though dB is defined for power we can extend it for use with voltages and currents:
assume voltages to be compared are across same resistance
V12 P1 10 log10 = 10 log10 2 R P V2 2 R V12 = 10 log10 2 V 2 V = 20 log10 1 V 2
2 I1 R P 10 log10 1 = 10 log10 2 P I R 2 2 2 I1 = 10 log10 2 I 2

I = 20 log10 1 I 2

Use 20 for V & I, but use 10 for P

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Using the Decibel

Comparing two quantities in system(s)
P1 = 2 mW P2 = 1 mW Cable Amplifier
P 10 10 log10 3 = 10 log10 3 = 40 dB P 10 2

P3= 10 W

P 1 10 log10 2 = 10 log10 = 3 dB P 2 1

The Cable has a Gain of 3 dB

The Amplifier has a Gain of 40 dB

Negative dB gain = loss Cable has a 3 dB Loss

P 10 10 log10 3 = 10 log10 = 37 dB P 3 2 10 1

The System has a Gain of 37 dB

log(ab) = log(a) + log(b)

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Gains in a cascade add in dB: 3 dB + 40 dB = 37 dB

Using the Decibel (2)

Using decibels for amplifier gains
MUST disregard the negative for an inverting gain Recall: Inverting Op Amp Gain = RF/R1 In dB this is stated as: 20log10(RF/R1) (inverting)

Comparing a quantity in a system to a reference

Sometimes common arbitrary references are used
1 W ! 10log10(P/1W) dBW 1 mW ! 10log10(P/0.001W) dBmW or just dBm

Sometimes a physically meaningful reference is used

See table for sound pressure level
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Sounds

Sound Pressure Level (Bar) 2000 200

Sound Pressure Level (dB) 140 130 120 110 20 2 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

Not Power !20log10(SPL/y) What should y be? A Reference Level!!

Jet Plane (@ 30 m) Threshold of Pain Chainsaw Rock Concert/Club Busy Street Normal Speech

20 20 log10 0.0002

0.2 0.02

For Non-Power Factor of 10 !20 dB

Quiet Room Recording Studio Threshold of Hearing

Reference Level ! 0 dB

0.002 0.0002

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