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According to the US Geological Survey, earthquakes with a Richter magnitude of greater than 7 may be very destructive.

The Richter scale represents the energy released by an earthquake in terms of the amplitude of the seismic waves. As such the larger the number, the more energy the earthquake has and potentially the more damage / destruction it can cause.

For example the earthquake that caused the severe damage and destruction in Haiti in January 2010 was at level 7.2 on the scale. However the earthquake magnitude can't always guide the level of destruction that will occur as the Chilean earthquake that occurred in February 2010 was actually more powerful, but caused less destruction as the buildings in Chile were constructed to be earthquake resistant.

The largest earthquake ever recorded by man was approximately 9.5 on the Richter scale.

See the related link to the US Geological Survey for information on how earthquake magnitude can be related to the damage it may cause.

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How does the Richter scale best demonstrate the power and the destructive nature of an earthquake?

The Richter scale is used to rate the magnitude of an earthquake -- the amount of energy it released. This is calculated using information gathered by a seismograph.Richter ratings only give you a rough idea of the actual impact of an earthquake, though. As we've seen, an earthquake's destructive power varies depending on the composition of the ground in an area and the design and placement of man-made structures. The extent of damage is rated on the Mercalli scale. Mercalli ratings, which are given as Roman numerals, are based on largely subjective interpretations


What does the Richter scale tell you about an earthquake?

The Richter scale provides a measure of the magnitude or energy released by an earthquake. It quantifies the amplitude (size) of seismic waves generated by the earthquake, which correlates with the earthquake's strength. The scale is logarithmic, meaning that each whole number increase on the scale represents a tenfold increase in the amplitude of shaking and approximately 31.6 times more energy release.


Is today's earthquake is the worst earthquake in the world ever happened?

No. It is neither the most powerful nor most destructive (in terms of number of deaths). The most powerful earthquake ever was the Valdivian / Great Chilean Earthquake of 1960 (9.5 on Richter scale) and the most destructive was the Shaanxi, China earthquake of 1556 which supposedly killed 850 thousand people. Today's earthquake in comparison was 8.9 on the Richter scale and so far 300 people have been confirmed dead and 500 more missing.


Is A Richter and Moment Magnitude 8 earthquake twice as large as a Richter or Moment Magnitude 4 earthquake?

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What number was the Haitian earthquake?

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What it measured on the Richter scale?

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What do values on the Richter scale express?

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How many times larger than a 6.5 magnitude than a 7.5?

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What was the largest earthquake in the world by Richter number?

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What does the richer scale measure of an earthquake?

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