The relationship of the exchange rate to noise-induced hearing loss

Exposure to high levels of noise can be quite hazardous, completely harmless, or anything in between; the key to the outcome is exposure dura¬tion. For some time, scientists have attempted to identify the relationship between noise level and duration that will best predict hearing impairment. Currently, this relationship is called the "exchange rate," although other terms have been used to de¬scribe it, including the "doubling rate," "trading ratio," and "time-intensity tradeoff'. The most com¬monly used exchange rates incorporate either 3 dB or 5 dB per doubling or halving of exposure dura¬tion.