An earthquake with a high rating on the moment magnitude scale can receive a low rating on the Mercalli scale.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The moment magnitude scale measures the energy released by an earthquake, while the Mercalli scale measures the intensity of shaking at a particular location. Therefore, an earthquake with a high magnitude may not necessarily cause strong shaking in a particular area, resulting in a low Mercalli scale rating.

An Earthquake with a High Rating on the Moment Magnitude