Author Question: How is the seismic-moment magnitude scale different from the Richter Magnitude Scale? What will be ... (Read 148 times)

casperchen82 · **on:** Jul 15, 2018

How is the seismic-moment magnitude scale different from the Richter Magnitude Scale? What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

What does the Richter Magnitude Scale measure, and why are scales of this type used more frequently
than intensity scales? What will be an ideal response?

braelync · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 15, 2018

Answer to Question 1

The seismic-moment magnitude scale measures the total energy released by the earthquake. This takes
into account the strength of the rocks, the area of a fault along which rupture occurs, and the amount of
movement of rocks adjacent to the fault. The Richter Magnitude Scale just measures the energy
released by the largest seismic wave

Answer to Question 2

The Richter Magnitude Scale measures earthquake magnitude, which is the total amount of energy
released by an earthquake at its source. This is a measure of the amplitude of the largest seismic wave
as recorded on a seismogram