Richter scale: Quick Facts

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Anderson-Wood torsion pendulum seismograph

seismograph data

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How the Richter scale measures earthquakes

Learn how the Richter scale measures magnitude and the Mercalli scale measures intensity of an earthquake

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Topics

earthquake seismograph seismic wave seismology moment magnitude Scoville scale Today in History—March 29: A Woman Discovers Earth’s Core Beaufort scale seismic survey Fahrenheit temperature scale Rankine temperature scale Celsius grain size scale Douglas scale

Key People

Richter, Charles F.

Charles F. Richter

American physicist

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Beno Gutenberg

American seismologist

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