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Magnitude regards the size of the event of phenomena, whereas intensity refers to amounts over time. Intensity is akin to frequency. For example when measuring earthquakes, Richter scale gauges its force through magnitude, and its intensity is frequency of resonation felt.

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9y ago
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13y ago

Magnitude is a measure of the total energy emitted during an earthquake. It is the same no mater where it is measured.

Intensity is a measure of the violence of ground shaking at a particular point. This is based on the statements of witnesses, damage to buildings and the ground acceleration as measured by a seismometer. As such it varies from place to place for a given earthquake.

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13y ago

The Richter scale measures the magnitude of the earthquakes total energy to determine the epicentre.Intensity of the seismic waves differes from place to place and is subjective measurement on Mercalli scale

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12y ago

The magnitude of an earthquake describes the amount of energy released when the earthquake occurs. It is a single figure that does not vary for a given quake. Intensity is a term used to describe the severity of ground shaking and damage done in a specific location. It's value can vary for a given earthquake in differing areas.

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6y ago

There are two ways of describing an earthquake;by intensity and by magnitude.

When we talk of intensity, we are referring to the effects and damage produced by the earthquake. It is determined by going to all the areas affected by the earthquake and observing the damage, as well as recording the experiences of the people there. The first intensity scale was developed by Giuseppe Mercalli in 1902.

This has since been improved by the use of strong motion seismometers which are able to measure ground accelerations and so produce a less subjective assessment of intensity. The value of intensity can vary from place to place. In the US the intensity of an earthquake is measured using the Modified Mercalli scale and in Europe the Macroseismic scale is used (which appears to be an updated version of the original Mercalli intensity scale).

Earthquake magnitude on the other hand is a single value (it should be the same no matter where it is measured) and is based on the amount of seismic energy produced by an earthquake. It can be estimated from the amplitude of seismic waves recorded by a seismometer (and requires scaling to account for the distance of the recording station from the earthquakes epicentre) or directly based on the cross sectional area of the fault which moved, the average displacement and the shear modulus of the rockmass. In the past the Richter magnitude scale was commonly used however seismologists now use the Moment magnitude scale.

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12y ago

Intensity is the overall effect of the quake on human, structures, bridges etc. Magnitude is the measure of the release of energy.

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Q: How is magnitude and intensity scale in earthquakes different?
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What is the scale used to measure earthquakes?

The absolute magnitude of a quake is conventionally reported by numbers on the Moment magnitude scale (formerly Richter scale, magnitude 7 causing serious damage over large areas), whereas the felt magnitude is reported using the modified Mercalli intensity scale (intensity II-XII).


What is the name of the scale that measures earthquakes?

The Richter scale was originally developed to measure the strength or magnitude of moderate earthquakes (magnitudes less than 7). The surface wave magnitude scale was then developed by Richter and Guttenburg to allow larger earthquake magnitudes to be measured (up to 8). To measure large earthquakes the moment magnitude scale must be used. To measure the severity of earthquakes, the Modified Mercalli intensity scale is used in the US and the Macroseismic scale is used in Europe.


How are earthquake magnitude and intensity measured?

Earthquake magnitude is measured using a number of differing scales including the Richter scale, the moment magnitude scale and the surface magnitude scale. Intensity is measured using he Modified Mercalli intensity scale.


Describe two different ways to measure the size of an earthquake?

The Mercalli scale, which measures the visible effects; and the Richter scale, which measures the energy given off by the earthquake, are the two most common ways of measuring the size of an earthquake.


When referring to earthquakes what is the difference between the Magnitude scale and the Richter scale?

The Richter Scale is a Magnitude scale - it is used to calculate the magnitude of small and medium sized earthquakes (those with a magnitude less than 7). The other scales most commonly used for recording Earthquakes are the Moment Magnitude Scale and the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale.The Intensity scale of the Earthquake measures the effect of the earthquake at a particular location. In general it is highest at the epicenter and gets lower as you go further. The value of intensity changes from place to place.The Moment Magnitude scale measures the actual amount of energy released during the Earthquake and is derived based on the rigidity / stiffness of the crust, the length of fault that slipped and it's cross sectional area.An Earthquake has only one value of magnitude, and it does not change from place to place. The scale is logarithmic.However the now outmoded Richter Scale used a different method of deriving the energy release based on the maximum amplitude of the seismic waves detected on seismometers. As such it was a measurement of the local magnitude (i.e. local to the seismometer) rather than the absolute magnitude of the earthquake.

Related questions

What scale gives the intensity of earthquakes?

Richter scale is used to measure earthquakes magnitude Shake intensity is measured on the Mercalli scale


How is the size of earthquakes measured?

They use a richter scale to measure intensity and magnitude.


What is the scale used to measure earthquakes?

The absolute magnitude of a quake is conventionally reported by numbers on the Moment magnitude scale (formerly Richter scale, magnitude 7 causing serious damage over large areas), whereas the felt magnitude is reported using the modified Mercalli intensity scale (intensity II-XII).


What are the two way scientists measure earthquakes?

Moment Magnitude Scale. Large earthquakes are not measured very well by the Richter scale, especially if the seimometers used are very far away from anearthquakeepicenter. The moment magnitude scale is now most commonly usedfor medium to large earthquakes.


What scale is used to measure earthquake intensity?

The moment magnitude scale is used to measure the magnitude of large earthquakes. The Richter scale is still used to make an initial estimate of the magnitude of larger earthquakes and to measure small and moderate ones (those with a magnitude below 7).


What scale is used to measure earthquakes?

The absolute magnitude of a quake is conventionally reported by numbers on the Moment magnitude scale (formerly Richter scale, magnitude 7 causing serious damage over large areas), whereas the felt magnitude is reported using the modified Mercalli intensity scale (intensity II-XII).


What is the name of the scale that measures earthquakes?

The Richter scale was originally developed to measure the strength or magnitude of moderate earthquakes (magnitudes less than 7). The surface wave magnitude scale was then developed by Richter and Guttenburg to allow larger earthquake magnitudes to be measured (up to 8). To measure large earthquakes the moment magnitude scale must be used. To measure the severity of earthquakes, the Modified Mercalli intensity scale is used in the US and the Macroseismic scale is used in Europe.


What is the used to measure earthquakes?

The absolute magnitude of a quake is conventionally reported by numbers on the Moment magnitude scale (formerly Richter scale, magnitude 7 causing serious damage over large areas), whereas the felt magnitude is reported using the modified Mercalli intensity scale (intensity II-XII).


How are earthquake magnitude and intensity measured?

Earthquake magnitude is measured using a number of differing scales including the Richter scale, the moment magnitude scale and the surface magnitude scale. Intensity is measured using he Modified Mercalli intensity scale.


Describe two different ways to measure the size of an earthquake?

The Mercalli scale, which measures the visible effects; and the Richter scale, which measures the energy given off by the earthquake, are the two most common ways of measuring the size of an earthquake.


What scale measures earthqukes?

The moment magnitude scale, the Richter scale (which can only be used for low and moderate magnitude earthquakes less than 6.9) and the modified mercalli intensity scale are used to measure earthquakes.


When referring to earthquakes what is the difference between the Magnitude scale and the Richter scale?

The Richter Scale is a Magnitude scale - it is used to calculate the magnitude of small and medium sized earthquakes (those with a magnitude less than 7). The other scales most commonly used for recording Earthquakes are the Moment Magnitude Scale and the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale.The Intensity scale of the Earthquake measures the effect of the earthquake at a particular location. In general it is highest at the epicenter and gets lower as you go further. The value of intensity changes from place to place.The Moment Magnitude scale measures the actual amount of energy released during the Earthquake and is derived based on the rigidity / stiffness of the crust, the length of fault that slipped and it's cross sectional area.An Earthquake has only one value of magnitude, and it does not change from place to place. The scale is logarithmic.However the now outmoded Richter Scale used a different method of deriving the energy release based on the maximum amplitude of the seismic waves detected on seismometers. As such it was a measurement of the local magnitude (i.e. local to the seismometer) rather than the absolute magnitude of the earthquake.