Three seismograms for a single earthquake with an epicenter in Columbia are shown below. The data are from stations that were at very different distances from the epicenter. Arrows denote arrival of P and S waves. Note: Vertical scales are not all the same.

-How much more ground motion does a Richter magnitude 5 earthquake generate compared to a Richter magnitude 3 earthquake?
A) 2 times
B) 5 times
C) 10 times
D) 100 times

Question

Three seismograms for a single earthquake with an epicenter in Columbia are shown below. The data are from stations that were at very different distances from the epicenter. Arrows denote arrival of P and S waves. Note: Vertical scales are not all the same.
 
-How much more ground motion does a Richter magnitude 5 earthquake generate compared to a Richter magnitude 3 earthquake?
A) 2 times 
B) 5 times 
C) 10 times 
D) 100 times

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Richter scale is logarithmic, meaning each whole number increase represents a tenfold increase in measured amplitude. Therefore, a magnitude 5 earthquake generates 100 times more ground motion than a magnitude 3 earthquake.

Three Seismograms for a Single Earthquake with an Epicenter in Columbia