An earthquake magnitude scale is a measure of_______ .

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The earthquake magnitude scale, such as the Richter scale, measures the amount of energy released during an earthquake. The scale is logarithmic, meaning that each whole number increase on the scale represents a tenfold increase in energy release. Therefore, earthquakes with higher magnitudes release exponentially more energy than those with lower magnitudes. The magnitude scale does not necessarily correlate with the level of ground shaking or building damage, which can also be affected by factors such as distance from the epicenter and type of soil or structure.

An Earthquake Magnitude Scale Is a Measure Of_______