In acoustics, what is typically used to measure the energy of sound?

In acoustics, the decibel scale is commonly utilized to measure the energy of sound. This logarithmic scale quantifies sound intensity in a way that aligns with human perception, which is not linear; our ears perceive sound intensity on a relative scale. A change of approximately 10 decibels typically corresponds to a perceived doubling or halving of loudness. Thus, using the decibel scale allows for effective comparisons of sound energies in various contexts, such as ambient noise levels, musical instruments, or industrial environments.

The other options do not serve this specific purpose. The meter scale measures physical distance rather than sound energy, while the frequency scale relates to the pitch of the sound rather than its intensity. The wave scale may imply the properties of waves more generally but does not provide a quantifiable measure of sound energy in the nuanced way the decibel scale does.