Ritcher Scale
Scientists use seismographs to measure the magnitude of earthquakes. Seismographs detect the seismic waves generated by an earthquake, and the amplitude of these waves is used to calculate the earthquake's size. The most common scale used to measure earthquake size is the Richter scale or the moment magnitude scale.
The most commonly referred to scale by the press and the public is the Richter scale for measuring earthquake magnitude. However this was actually replaced in the 1970s by the Moment Magnitude scale which is the magnitude scale favoured and in use by seismologists.
Geologists use the moment magnitude scale (Mw) to rate the magnitude of an earthquake today. This scale takes into account the seismic moment, which provides a more precise measurement of an earthquake's size compared to the Richter scale.
You use a seismometer. Then, measure the magnitude according to the Richter scale.
They use the Richter Scale.
The power of an earthquake is measured using a seismometer to record the seismic waves produced by the earthquake. The magnitude of an earthquake is typically measured using the Richter scale or moment magnitude scale.
Scientists most often use the Richter scale or the moment magnitude scale to express the magnitude of an earthquake. These scales measure the energy released by an earthquake and provide a numerical value to indicate its intensity.
There was a magnitude 7.2 earthquake in Mexico.
Earthquake magnitudes are rated using the moment magnitude scale. Moderate and small earthquakes (those with a magnitude below 7) are also measured using the Richter scale. Please see the related question for more information.
Both the Richter scale and the moment magnitude scale are commonly used to measure the magnitude of earthquakes. However, the moment magnitude scale is preferred by seismologists for measuring larger earthquakes because it provides a more accurate representation of the energy released during an earthquake.
The moment magnitude scale (MW) provides an estimate of the total energy released in an earthquake and is currently the preferred magnitude scale in use by seismologists for measuring large (magnitude greater than 7) earthquakes.
Magnitude of the 2011 Japan earthquake on moment magnitude scale is 9.0.The use of the Richter magnitude scale has largely been replaced by the moment magnitude scale in most countries. The United States Geological Survey (USGS), for example, uses the moment magnitude scale designated as MMS or Mw to measure all large earthquakes.UPDATE: Official magnitude was updated to 9.1 on Nov 7, 2016.