The Richter scale measures the largest wiggle (amplitude) on the recording , but other magnitude scales measure different parts of the earthquake. ... Intensity is a measure of the shaking and damage caused by the earthquake; this value changes from location to location.
How does a Richter scale measure an earthquake?
The Richter scale measures the magnitude of an earthquake (how powerful it is) . It is measured using a machine called a seismometer which produces a seismograph. ... It is logarithmic which means, for example, that an earthquake measuring magnitude 5 is ten times more powerful than an earthquake measuring 4.
What is the function of Richter scale?
The Richter scale is used to rate the magnitude of an earthquake , that is the amount of energy released during an earthquake. The Richter scale doesn’t measure quake damage (see: Mercalli Scale) which is dependent on a variety of factors including population at the epicentre, terrain, depth, etc.
What is the highest Richter scale?
In theory, the Richter scale has no upper limit , but, in practice, no earthquake has ever been registered on the scale above magnitude 8.6. (That was the Richter magnitude for the Chile earthquake of 1960. The moment magnitude for this event was measured at 9.5.).
Is a magnitude 10 earthquake possible?
No, earthquakes of magnitude 10 or larger cannot happen . The magnitude of an earthquake is related to the length of the fault on which it occurs. ... The largest earthquake ever recorded was a magnitude 9.5 on May 22, 1960 in Chile on a fault that is almost 1,000 miles long...a “megaquake” in its own right.
What measure of size or strength is used for earthquake?
The Richter scale measures the largest wiggle (amplitude) on the recording, but other magnitude scales measure different parts of the earthquake. The USGS currently reports earthquake magnitudes using the Moment Magnitude scale, though many other magnitudes are calculated for research and comparison purposes.
What is the atomic bomb equivalent to a 8.0 earthquake?
| Magnitude Energy in joules (J) TNT equiv. | 5.0 2.0 x 10 12 500 tons of TNT | 6.0 6.3 x 10 13 15 kilotons of TNT | 7.0 2.0 x 10 15 500 kilotons of TNT | 8.0 6.3 x 10 16 15 million tons of TNT |
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Whats the largest earthquake ever recorded?
On May 22, 1960, a great Mw 9.5 earthquake , the largest earthquake ever instrumentally recorded, occurred off the coast of southern Chile. This earthquake generated a tsunami that was destructive not only along the coast of Chile.
Is a magnitude 12 earthquake possible?
The magnitude scale is open-ended, meaning that scientists have not put a limit on how large an earthquake could be, but there is a limit just from the size of the earth. A magnitude 12 earthquake would require a fault larger than the earth itself.
Does the Richter scale go from 1 to 10?
Every increase of 1 on the Richter scale corresponds to an increase in amplitude by a factor of 10 so therefore, it is a logarithmic scale.
Is a 9.6 earthquake possible?
Hollywood-scripted magnitude 9.6 earthquakes are almost impossible to happen in Los Angeles and San Francisco, so say seismic experts. They say the maximum on the San Andreas fault running up and down the West Coast would be an 8.3 based on computer models.
What does a 9.0 earthquake feel like?
The shaking will feel violent and it will be difficult to stand up. The contents of your house will be a mess. A large earthquake far away will feel like a gentle bump followed several seconds later by stronger rolling shaking that may feel like sharp shaking for a little while.
What is the biggest tsunami ever?
Lituya Bay, Alaska, July 9, 1958
Its over 1,700-foot wave was the largest ever recorded for a tsunami. It inundated five square miles of land and cleared hundreds of thousands of trees. Remarkably, only two fatalities occurred.
Will California eventually break off?
No, California is not going to fall into the ocean. California is firmly planted on the top of the earth’s crust in a location where it spans two tectonic plates. ... There is nowhere for California to fall , however, Los Angeles and San Francisco will one day be adjacent to one another!
Why is the Richter scale no longer used?
The Richter scale was abandoned because it worked best for earthquakes in southern California , and only those hitting within about 370 miles (600 kilometers) of seismometers. ... The moment magnitude scale captures all the different seismic waves from an earthquake, giving a better idea of the shaking and possible damage.
What is the strongest magnitude earthquake?
| Mag Alternative Name | 1. 9.5 Valdivia Earthquake | 2. 9.2 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake, Prince William Sound Earthquake, Good Friday Earthquake | 3. 9.1 Sumatra-Andaman Islands Earthquake, 2004 Sumatra Earthquake and Tsunami, Indian Ocean Earthquake | 4. 9.1 Tohoku Earthquake |
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