How the Richter scale measures earthquakes
The Richter scale and how it measures earthquake magnitude. The Richter scale calculates an earthquake's magnitude (size) from the amplitude of the earthquake's largest seismic wave recorded by a seismograph.
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Transcript
[BEGIN]
[narrator]
The Richter Scale is a standard for measuring earth tremors. Developed in 1935 by American seismologist Charles Richter, the scale has been used to describe the amplitude of the largest single ground wave of earthquakes, using a Wood-Anderson seismograph.
Earthquakes vary widely, from imperceptible to devastating strengths. So the scale was designed such that each point represents ten times more shaking than the one before it. For example, an earthquake measuring 4.0 on the Richter Scale has ten times the magnitude of a 3.0 earthquake. And so it goes, point by point, across the whole scale. The Richter scale is not additive, but logarithmic.
Charles Richter�s scale relates to shaking experienced at the surface. The scale also relates to the energy needed to cause such shaking. Each point represents 31 times the energy of the previous one. An earthquake of 5.6 on the Richter Scale releases 31 times as much energy as one that is 4.6.
Earthquakes measuring near 3.0 on the Richter Scale may be felt, but usually cause no harm. Earthquakes above 6.0 typically damage buildings. Earthquakes that measure 8.0 or higher are severe.
In the 21st century, the Richter Scale has been largely replaced by more accurate scales of earthquake intensity, such as the Moment Magnitude scale, which measures the total work performed by the earthquake.
[END]
[narrator]
The Richter Scale is a standard for measuring earth tremors. Developed in 1935 by American seismologist Charles Richter, the scale has been used to describe the amplitude of the largest single ground wave of earthquakes, using a Wood-Anderson seismograph.
Earthquakes vary widely, from imperceptible to devastating strengths. So the scale was designed such that each point represents ten times more shaking than the one before it. For example, an earthquake measuring 4.0 on the Richter Scale has ten times the magnitude of a 3.0 earthquake. And so it goes, point by point, across the whole scale. The Richter scale is not additive, but logarithmic.
Charles Richter�s scale relates to shaking experienced at the surface. The scale also relates to the energy needed to cause such shaking. Each point represents 31 times the energy of the previous one. An earthquake of 5.6 on the Richter Scale releases 31 times as much energy as one that is 4.6.
Earthquakes measuring near 3.0 on the Richter Scale may be felt, but usually cause no harm. Earthquakes above 6.0 typically damage buildings. Earthquakes that measure 8.0 or higher are severe.
In the 21st century, the Richter Scale has been largely replaced by more accurate scales of earthquake intensity, such as the Moment Magnitude scale, which measures the total work performed by the earthquake.
[END]
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