The moment magnitude scale:
A) is based on the highest peak recorded on a specific type of seismograph.
B) can be used to locate the earthquake epicenter.
C) is an accurate indicator of the energy released during an earthquake.
D) is measured by recording the amount of structural damage in an area.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The moment magnitude scale is an accurate indicator of the total amount of energy released during an earthquake. It takes into account the size of the fault rupture, the amount of slip, and the rocks' stiffness around the earthquake source. The other options are incorrect because the highest peak on a specific type of seismograph is measured on the Richter scale, and the amount of structural damage in an area is used to estimate the intensity of an earthquake. The earthquake epicenter is located on a map by triangulating the arrival times of seismic waves from at least three monitoring stations.

The Moment Magnitude Scale