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Subjects · Leaving Cert Construction Studies

Leaving Cert Construction Studies: Sound insulation & acoustics

How often Sound insulation & acoustics comes up on the Construction Studies papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.

HL Asked on 1 of the last 9 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2024.

OL Asked on 1 of the last 9 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2016.

June 2028 is the first exam on the new Construction Studies course. These come from the 2016–2025 papers, so read them as a guide.

Sound insulation & acoustics, Higher Level(8 marks)

Quick ones on Sound insulation & acoustics.

(a)Best way to reduce impact sound through a timber upper floor?
  1. A thicker coat of ceiling paint
  2. A resilient floating floor layer
  3. Extra wall ties in the external wall
(b)Why does a heavy, dense wall resist airborne sound well?
  1. Dense walls conduct sound into the ground
  2. Dense materials absorb sound like foam
  3. Its mass is hard for sound to set vibrating
(c)Speech from a television heard through a wall is which kind of sound?
  1. Airborne sound
  2. Ultrasound
  3. Impact sound
Show the answers

(a) A resilient floating floor layer

(b) Its mass is hard for sound to set vibrating

(c) Airborne sound

Your turn: Higher Level questions on Sound insulation & acoustics.

Higher Level

Asked on 1 of the last 9 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2024.

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Not asked
2024Q9
2023Not asked
2022Not asked
2021Not asked
2019Not asked
2018Not asked
2017Not asked
2016Not asked

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Sound insulation & acoustics questions

Sound insulation & acoustics, 3 marks

Why do small gaps greatly reduce a wall's sound insulation?

  1. Gaps make the wall heavier
  2. Sound can only pass through solid material
  3. Sound passes easily through any air path
Show the answer

Sound passes easily through any air path

A wall is only as good as its weakest point. Unsealed gaps round sockets, pipes or the ceiling let sound bypass the wall's mass, so they must be sealed.

Sound insulation & acoustics, 3 marks

A room echoes. Carpets and curtains help mainly by?

  1. Making the walls heavier
  2. Absorbing sound inside the room
  3. Stopping sound passing through the walls
Show the answer

Absorbing sound inside the room

Soft finishes absorb reflections, cutting echo within the room. They do little to stop sound reaching the next room, which needs mass, separation and sealing.

Ordinary Level

Asked on 1 of the last 9 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2016.

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Not asked
2024Not asked
2023Not asked
2022Not asked
2021Not asked
2019Not asked
2018Not asked
2017Not asked
2016Q7

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Sound insulation & acoustics questions

Sound insulation & acoustics, 3 marks

How can sound through a timber upper floor be reduced?

  1. Leave the joists open with no ceiling
  2. Remove the ceiling boards below
  3. Place mineral wool between the joists
Show the answer

Place mineral wool between the joists

Mineral wool in the floor void absorbs airborne sound. A floating floor or resilient bars also reduce footstep noise reaching the room below.

Sound insulation & acoustics, 2 marks

Why do carpets and curtains make a room quieter?

  1. They reflect sound around the room
  2. They absorb sound and cut echo
  3. They block radon
Show the answer

They absorb sound and cut echo

Soft, porous materials soak up sound energy. Hard surfaces bounce sound around, making a room echo and noisy.

Sound insulation & acoustics, 3 marks

Why is a floating floor laid on a resilient layer?

  1. To stop footstep sound passing into the structure
  2. To let the floor dry faster after laying
  3. To raise the floor above flood level
Show the answer

To stop footstep sound passing into the structure

The boards rest on a soft resilient layer and are not fixed to the joists or slab. Footstep (impact) sound is soaked up before it reaches the room below.

Other Construction Studies topics

All of Leaving Cert Construction Studies