Simple Explanation

Acoustic impedance describes how much a material resists the movement of sound through it—like friction for sound waves.

Concise Technical Definition

Technically, it is the complex ratio of acoustic pressure to acoustic volume velocity at a single frequency. Equivalently, it represents a frequency response function where pressure is the output and volume velocity is the input.

Layman-Friendly Analogy

Imagine trying to blow air through a sponge versus a brick. Acoustic impedance tells you how "hard" it is for sound to move through a material, like how hard it is for air to flow.

Industry Usage Summary

In acoustics and audio design, acoustic impedance is used to match speakers to environments or microphones to sources, helping ensure efficient energy transfer and reduce reflections or losses.

Engineering Shortcut

Z=p/UZ = p / UZ=p/U, where Z is acoustic impedance, p is pressure, and U is volume velocity.

Full Technical Explanation

Acoustic impedance is a frequency-dependent complex quantity defined as the ratio of sound pressure to volume velocity at a specific point in an acoustic system. Measured in rayls (Pa·s/m³), it characterizes how much a system resists acoustic flow. The real part represents resistance (energy loss), and the imaginary part represents reactance (energy storage). Proper impedance matching between components, such as loudspeakers and rooms or microphones and vocal sources, is essential for maximizing sound transmission and minimizing reflections or distortion.