Conclusion

My results varied by materials but, keeping a constant size of the box, distance from the sound meter and distance from the sound source. This testing was resulting in various decibel readings according to the particular sound barriers used. My hypothesis was, in fact, correct, in where the bubble wrap material was the best insulator of noise in this scenario. The fact that the bubble wrap material is made up of small air pockets proves that it is a better insulator of sound than the other materials tested.

The bubble wrap was more efficient even though the foam insulation is a more dense material. The results were not all far from each other, in where there was only a 10 point decibel difference in some of the tests.

If I were to go deeper into this topic, I would start by getting a lot more materials to expand my results further. I would use more drywall as well to make more boxes and test different size boxes. I would check the layering of the materials and see what sound levels would the result change. Checking the thickness and density of the materials would also be another variable used as well. I would further test in different climates and temperatures. Checking to see if the temperature or relative humidity would have any control over how sound travels and the obvious decibel readings. Testing substances like glass, plastic and organic materials like grass and dirt would be another category that could be tested.

The purpose of this experiment was to test which materials block out and defer sound waves and act as a more efficient sound barrier. My test was on three different substances, drywall, bubble wrap and foam (R40) insulation. Each product had a different consistency and density, which affect its sound resistance qualities. I proved that simple bubble wrap was one of the best sound barriers due to its presence of small air pockets.