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Bels (B) Unit Definition
The bel (B) is a unit used to measure a given sound level. The term is derived from the name of Alexander Graham Bell the inventor of the telephone. It expresses the ratio of two values of a power or root-power quantity on a logarithmic scale. Two signals whose levels differ by one decibel (dB) have a power ratio of 101⁄10 (approximately 1.26) or root-power ratio of 101⁄20 (approximately 1.12).
SI Multiples
A table of various sound level bel units derived from SI multiples:
Submultiples |
Multiples |
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Scientific Notation |
Value |
Prefix |
Name |
Scientific Notation |
Value |
Prefix |
Name |
10-1 B |
0.1 B |
Deci (d) | Decibels (dB) | 101 B |
10 B |
Deca (da) | Decabels (daB) |
10-2 B |
0.01 B |
Centi (c) | Centibels (cB) | 102 B |
100 B |
Hecto (h) | Hectobels (hB) |
10-3 B |
0.001 B |
Milli (m) | Millibels (mB) | 103 B |
1000 B |
Kilo (k) | Kilobels (kB) |
10-6 B |
0.000001 B |
Micro (µ) | Microbels (µB) | 106 B |
1000000 B |
Mega (M) | Megabels (MB) |
10-9 B |
0.000000001 B |
Nano (n) | Nanobels (nB) | 109 B |
1000000000 B |
Giga (G) | Gigabels (GB) |
10-12 B |
0.000000000001 B |
Pico (p) | Picobels (pB) | 1012 B |
1000000000000 B |
Tera (T) | Terabels (TB) |
10-15 B |
0.000000000000001 B |
Femto (f) | Femtobels (fB) | 1015 B |
1000000000000000 B |
Peta (P) | Petabels (PB) |
10-18 B |
0.000000000000000001 B |
Atto (a) | Attobels (aB) | 1018 B |
1000000000000000000 B |
Exa (E) | Exabels (EB) |
10-21 B |
0.000000000000000000001 B |
Zepto (z) | Zeptobels (zB) | 1021 B |
1000000000000000000000 B |
Zetta (Z) | Zettabels (ZB) |
10-24 B |
0.000000000000000000000001 B |
Yocto (y) | Yoctobels (yB) | 1024 B |
1000000000000000000000000 B |
Yotta (Y) | Yottabels (YB) |
10-27 B |
0.000000000000000000000000001 B |
Ronto (r) | Rontobels (rB) | 1027 B |
1000000000000000000000000000 B |
Ronna (R) | Ronnabels (RB) |
10-30 B |
0.000000000000000000000000000001 B |
Quecto (q) | Quectobels (qB) | 1030 B |
1000000000000000000000000000000 B |
Quetta (Q) | Quettabels (QB) |
Other Sound Level Unit Definitions
- Attobels (aB)
- Attonepers (aNp)
- Bels (B)
- Centibels (cB)
- Centinepers (cNp)
- Decabels (daB)
- Decanepers (daNp)
- Decibels (dB)
- Decinepers (dNp)
- Dekabels (daB)
- Dekanepers (daNp)
- Exabels (EB)
- Exanepers (ENp)
- Femtobels (fB)
- Femtonepers (fNp)
- Gigabels (GB)
- Giganepers (GNp)
- Hectobels (hB)
- Hectonepers (hNp)
- Kilobels (kB)
- Kilonepers (kNp)
- Megabels (MB)
- Meganepers (MNp)
- Microbels (µB)
- Micronepers (µNp)
- Millibels (mB)
- Millinepers (mNp)
- Nanobels (nB)
- Nanonepers (nNp)
- Nepers (Np)
- Petabels (PB)
- Petanepers (PNp)
- Picobels (pB)
- Piconepers (pNp)
- Quectobels (qB)
- Quectonepers (qNp)
- Quettabels (QB)
- Quettanepers (QNp)
- Ronnabels (RB)
- Ronnanepers (RNp)
- Rontobels (rB)
- Rontonepers (rNp)
- Terabels (TB)
- Teranepers (TNp)
- Yoctobels (yB)
- Yoctonepers (yNp)
- Yottabels (YB)
- Yottanepers (YNp)
- Zeptobels (zB)
- Zeptonepers (zNp)
- Zettabels (ZB)
- Zettanepers (ZNp)
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Related Definitions
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Sources
“Decibel.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Sept. 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decibel.