NRC stands for what?

• A. Noise Reduction Coefficient
• B. Sound Absorption Coefficient
• C. Sound Absorption
• D. Mass-Loaded Vinyl

Answer: (A)

NRC refers to the Noise Reduction Coefficient, a single value used in room acoustics to indicate how well a material absorbs sound across common midrange frequencies. It comes from averaging the absorption coefficients at four frequencies (250, 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz), giving a number from 0 to 1 where higher means more absorption. This makes it a practical, comparable measure for selecting finishes and panels to reduce reverberation in a space. The other terms don’t fit because a sound absorption coefficient describes absorption at one frequency, not the overall midrange average; just “sound absorption” is too vague; and Mass-Loaded Vinyl is a sound-blocking barrier, not an absorptive material with an NRC value.