AVIXA Recognized AV Technologist Test

According to the Inverse Square Law, every time the distance doubles from an energy source, what happens to the coverage area?

1. Quadruples; four times

2. Doubles; half

3. Doubles; twice

4. Doubles; four times

The correct answer is: Quadruples; four times

The correct interpretation of the Inverse Square Law is that when the distance from a point source of energy (like sound or light) doubles, the intensity of that energy decreases to a quarter of its original value. This means that while the energy per unit area decreases, the actual coverage area increases. In terms of coverage area, when the distance from the source doubles, the increase in the surface area of a sphere that surrounds the source can be calculated using the formula for the area of a sphere (A = 4πr²). If the radius (r) doubles, the new area becomes four times the original area because (2r)² = 4r². Therefore, the coverage area increases to four times its original size. Understanding this law is crucial in fields such as audio and visual technology, where the effective coverage of sound or light is important in design and implementation. Thus, the answer that indicates the coverage area quadruples or becomes four times larger when the distance from the energy source doubles accurately reflects the principles outlined by the Inverse Square Law.