By knowing the attenuation that an ultrasound beam experiences traveling through a medium, one can adjust the input signal amplitude to compensate for any loss of energy at the desired imaging depth. Accounting for attenuation effects in ultrasound is important because a reduced signal amplitude can affect the quality of the image produced. Attenuation in ultrasound is the reduction in amplitude of the ultrasound beam as a function of distance through the imaging medium. One area of research in which attenuation plays a prominent role, is in ultrasound physics. Attenuation also occurs in earthquakes when the seismic waves move farther away from the hypocenter, they grow smaller as they are attenuated by the ground. In engineering, attenuation is usually measured in units of decibels per unit length of medium (dB/cm, dB/km, etc.) and is represented by the attenuation coefficient of the medium in question. In optics and in chemical spectroscopy, this is known as the Beer–Lambert law. In many cases, attenuation is an exponential function of the path length through the medium. Electrical attenuators and optical attenuators are commonly manufactured components in this field.īackground Frequency-dependent attenuation of electromagnetic radiation in standard atmosphere. In electrical engineering and telecommunications, attenuation affects the propagation of waves and signals in electrical circuits, in optical fibers, and in air. This phenomenon is called acoustic attenuation and is measured in decibels (dBs). Hearing protectors help reduce acoustic flux from flowing into the ears. For instance, dark glasses attenuate sunlight, lead attenuates X-rays, and water and air attenuate both light and sound at variable attenuation rates. In physics, attenuation (in some contexts, extinction) is the gradual loss of flux intensity through a medium. For other uses, see Attenuation (disambiguation). This article is about attenuation in physics.

Relative light intensity equation