Question

The magnitude of an earthquake A is 4.5 and that of earthquake B is 5.5. The strength of A is more than B by:-

a) 1 times
b) 10 times
c) 100 times
d) 1/10 times​

Answer 1

Answer:

This is because there are many factors of 10 difference between the smallest and largest amplitudes of observed ground motions. An earthquake that measures 5.0 on the Richter scale has a shaking amplitude 10 times larger and corresponds to an energy release of 31.6 times greater than one that measures 4.0.