Which scale is most useful to describe the absolute size of an earthquake and the energy released during an earthquake?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Moment Magnitude Scale is the most useful scale to describe the absolute size of an earthquake and the energy released during an earthquake. It takes into account the size of the earthquake's fault rupture, the amount of movement in the fault, and the rock stiffness. The Richter Scale is an outdated scale that only measures the amplitude of the seismic waves at a specific location, while the Modified Mercalli Scale measures the intensity of shaking and damage at a specific location. The Fujita Scale and Saffir-Simpson Scale are used to measure the intensity of tornadoes and hurricanes, respectively, and are not relevant to earthquakes.

Which Scale Is Most Useful to Describe the Absolute Size