Helmholtz Resonator & Cavity Acoustics

Resonant frequency, frequency response, and sound pressure level
f₀ = (c/2π)·√(A/(V·L_eff))  |  L_eff = L + 0.85√A  |  Q = (1/R)·√(mK)

Resonator Geometry

f₀ (Hz)
Q factor
λ₀ (m)
BW (Hz)
Helmholtz resonator: A cavity with a narrow neck behaves as a spring-mass oscillator. Air in the neck acts as a lumped mass m = ρ·A·L_eff; cavity pressure provides the restoring spring K = ρc²A²/V. This gives f₀ = (c/2π)√(A/VL_eff).

End correction: The effective neck length L_eff = L + 0.85r accounts for acoustic radiation from the neck opening, where r = √(A/π) is the neck radius.

Applications: Bass reflex speaker ports, car mufflers, architectural acoustics (cathedral side-chapels), guitar body resonance (f₀ ≈ 100 Hz), anechoic foam microstructure, noise barriers. The SPL response follows a second-order bandpass shape with Q = √(mK)/R.