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A magnitude 8 earthquake releases approximately the same energy as a 15 megaton nuclear explosion (e.g. Castle Bravo test in 1954). This is the same as fifteen 1 megaton nuclear explosions.

Note: the photo above is of a 0.5 megaton nuclear explosion.

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What does a Richter scale measure on an earthquake?

RICHTER SCALEThe Richter scale (known as the local magnitude scale to seismologists) was originally developed to measure small to moderate magnitude earthquakes in southern California by Charles Richter and Beno Gutenberg. The numerical levels indicate the energy released by a particular quake. The numerical value is obtained from the logarithm of the maximum amplitude of seismic waves as recorded on a seismometer. This value is then scaled to account for the distance from the epicentre of the earthquake to the seismometer so as to allow the value to be correlated with the local magnitude readings from other seismometers in differing locations (as seismic waves lose their energy as they propagate through the earth so if this correction was not made, then different seismometer stations at different distances would give differing Richter magnitudes for the same earthquake). The Richter magnitude measurement produced by this methodology in theory has no limit and may be positive or negative.As stated above, the Richter scale itself is a logarithmic mathematical formula which is calibrated so that a ten fold increase in amplitude relates to a single whole number increase on the scale (e.g. an earthquake with a Richter magnitude of 5 has seismic waves with a maximum amplitude 10 times larger than those for a magnitude 4). It has a number of practical limitations, in that it is poor at recording earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 7 and at distances greater than 650 km from a seismometer.The equation for calculating the Richter magnitude (MR) is shown below:MR = (Log10A) - (Log10A0)WhereA = maximum zero to peak amplitude of seismic wave (mm) recorded.A0 = Empirical function derived from the distance from seismometer station to earthquake epicentreLog10A0 From 0 to 200 km distance:Log10A0 = 0.15 - 1.6 log(distance in km)Between 200 and 600 km distance by:Log10A0 = 3.38 - 3.0 log(distance in km)Due to the limitations described above (distance and maximum size of measurable earthquake), it has since been replaced by the Moment Magnitude Scale in the measurement of large earthquakes - for information on this, please see the related question.the richter scale reads the magnitude of earthquake.


What is the difference between a seismograph and the Richter scale?

Seismic waves are the vibrations from earthquakes that travel through the Earth; they are recorded on instruments called seismographs. Seismographs record a zig-zag trace that shows the varying amplitude of ground oscillations beneath the instrument. Sensitive seismographs, which greatly magnify these ground motions, can detect strong earthquakes from sources anywhere in the world. The time, locations, and magnitude of an earthquake can be determined from the data recorded by seismograph stations. The Richter magnitude scale was developed in 1935 by Charles F. Richter of the California Institute of Technology as a mathematical device to compare the size of earthquakes. The magnitude of an earthquake is determined from the logarithm of the amplitude of waves recorded by seismographs.


What can the Richter scale tell us when it is used to compare earthquackes?

A richter's scale shows the intensity of an earth quake on a scale from 0-10. The greater the number, the more the intensity of the earth quake which leads to more destruction of life and property


What part of speech is compare?

Compare is a verb.


What part of speech is compare in?

Compare is a verb.

Related Questions

Compare the Hanshin earthquake and the Chinese earthquake?

The Hanshin earthquake occurred in Japan while the Chinese earthquake obviously occurred in China.


How do scientists compare earthquake magnitudes to understand the differences in seismic activity?

Scientists compare earthquake magnitudes using the Richter scale or the moment magnitude scale to understand the differences in seismic activity. These scales measure the energy released by an earthquake, with higher numbers indicating stronger earthquakes. By analyzing these measurements, scientists can determine the severity and impact of earthquakes.


Compare and contrast aftershocks and foreshocks?

An aftershock is a small earthquake that follows the main earthquake, while a foreshock is a small earthquake that often precedes, leads to, a major earthquake.


How do scientist compare the size of an earthquake to the size of another one?

Scientists use the seismic magnitude scale to compare the size of earthquakes. This scale measures the energy released by an earthquake at its source. The most commonly used scale is the moment magnitude scale, which provides a more accurate estimate of an earthquake's size compared to older scales like the Richter scale.


How does the explosiveness of hydrogen compare to that of gasoline?

Hydrogen is more explosive than gasoline.


How do you compare one earthquake to another?

Via the Richter magnitude scale


Does the Richter scale measure intensity?

The Richter scale measures the magnitude of an earthquake, which is the amount of energy released at the source. It does not measure the intensity or effects of the earthquake at different locations. It is commonly used to compare the size of earthquakes.


How do hydrogen bounds compare with other intermolecular forces?

Hydrogen bonds are much stronger than other intermolecular forces.


What was the cause of the earthquake compare it with recent earthquake in japan?

The cause of earthquakes is the movement of tectonic plates in the Earth's crust. In the case of Japan, the recent earthquake was caused by the Pacific Plate subducting beneath the North American Plate. This movement generates stress that is released in the form of seismic waves, causing the ground to shake.


In a hydrogen peroxide and yeast experiment what is the purpose of the cups with yeast and nothing?

The cups with yeast and nothing serve as a control in the experiment to compare the rate of reaction when hydrogen peroxide is added. By observing how the control cup behaves without the hydrogen peroxide, we can compare any changes in the cups with yeast and hydrogen peroxide to see the effect of the reaction.


Why is it important to establish a baseline before performing an hydrogen peroxide decomposition?

to compare the results


Compare and contrast the Richter and Mercalli scale?

The Richter scale measures the magnitude of an earthquake based on the energy released at the source, while the Mercalli scale measures the intensity of shaking felt at a specific location. The Richter scale provides a single numerical value for an earthquake, whereas the Mercalli scale uses a descriptive scale from I to XII to quantify the effects of an earthquake on people, buildings, and the environment.