What are the earthquake intensity scale and their description?
What are the earthquake intensity scale and their description?
Earthquake magnitude
| magnitude level | category | effects |
|---|---|---|
| 5.0–5.9 | moderate | some damage to weak structures |
| 6.0–6.9 | strong | moderate damage in populated areas |
| 7.0–7.9 | major | serious damage over large areas; loss of life |
| 8.0 and higher | great | severe destruction and loss of life over large areas |
What are the 3 earthquake scales?
All three scales provide useful information in measuring and analyzing earthquakes across the globe.
- The Richter Scale. The Richter scale was invented in the 1930s by Dr.
- The Mercalli Scale.
- Moment Magnitude Scale.
What is the description of Richter scale?
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 is the scale for earthquakes?
The Richter scale measures the largest wiggle (amplitude) on the recording, but other magnitude scales measure different parts of the earthquake. The USGS currently reports earthquake magnitudes using the Moment Magnitude scale, though many other magnitudes are calculated for research and comparison purposes.
What is the description of a 5.0 5.9 magnitude in a Richter scale?
Richter scale of earthquake magnitude
| magnitude level | category | effects |
|---|---|---|
| 5.0–5.9 | moderate | some damage to weak structures |
| 6.0–6.9 | strong | moderate damage in populated areas |
| 7.0–7.9 | major | serious damage over large areas; loss of life |
| 8.0 and higher | great | severe destruction and loss of life over large areas |
What is the description of moderately strong intensity?
Moderately strong Felt generally by people indoors and by some people outdoors. Hanging objects swing considerably. Motorcars may rock slightly. Liquids in containers are slightly disturbed.
What are the different types of earthquake scales?
Several scales have been defined, but the most commonly used are (1) local magnitude (ML), commonly referred to as “Richter magnitude”, (2) surface-wave magnitude (Ms), (3) body-wave magnitude (Mb), and (4) moment magnitude (Mw).
What is the description of a destructive intensity?
Destructive – Most people are frightened and run outdoors. People find it difficult to stand in upper floors. Heavy objects and furniture overturn or topple. Big church bells may ring.
What scale has 12 levels of intensity?
Measurements of intensity using the Modified Mercalli scale, are composed of 12 increasing levels that range from imperceptible shaking to catastrophic destruction, usually designated by Roman numerals, which stresses their semi-quantitative nature.
What is the description of magnitude 5.0 and 5.9 earthquake?
What does a 6.0 earthquake feel like?
6.0 – You can still stand up, but your books and pictures may fall off the shelves and walls. Your furniture may move and your walls may crack. Outside, the roads may buckle. Buildings’ walls may collapse and crack.
What is the description of destructive intensity?
What is the definition of a Mercalli scale?
Definition of Mercalli scale : a scale of earthquake intensity ranging from I for an earthquake detected only by seismographs to XII for one causing total destruction of all buildings.
What are the 10 intensity scale of an earthquake?
The PEIS has ten intensity scales represented in Roman numerals with Intensity I being the weakest and Intensity X being the strongest. Perceptible to people under favorable circumstances. Delicately balanced objects are disturbed slightly. Still water in containers oscillates slowly.
What is the description of a 5.0 negative 5.9 magnitude in Richter scale?
What is the Richter Magnitude Scale?
| Richter magnitude | Description |
|---|---|
| 5.0-5.9 | Moderate |
| 6.0-6.9 | Strong |
| 7.0-7.9 | Major |
| 8.0-8.9 | Great |
What does a 7.0 earthquake feel like?
Intensity 7: Very strong — Damage negligible in buildings of good design and construction; slight to moderate in well-built ordinary structures; considerable damage in poorly built or badly designed structures; some chimneys broken. Intensity 6: Strong — Felt by all, many frightened.
What is the meaning of Richter?
: an open-ended logarithmic scale for expressing the magnitude of a seismic disturbance (such as an earthquake) in terms of the energy dissipated in it with 1.5 indicating the smallest earthquake that can be felt, 4.5 an earthquake causing slight damage, and 8.5 a very devastating earthquake.
Which scale has 12 levels of intensity?
Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale
Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale This scale is composed of 12 increasing levels of intensity based on observed effects. These range from imperceptible shaking to catastrophic destruction, designated by Roman numerals.
What is the description of a 5.0 magnitude in a Richter scale?
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.
What does a 8.0 earthquake feel like?
An M 4.0 earthquake could feel like a large truck driving by, while an M 8.0 quake could shake you so much you cannot stand. Usually you will not be able to feel a magnitude 2.5 or lower earthquake.
How big is a 7.3 earthquake?
Earthquake Magnitude Scale
| Magnitude | Earthquake Effects |
|---|---|
| 5.5 to 6.0 | Slight damage to buildings and other structures. |
| 6.1 to 6.9 | May cause a lot of damage in very populated areas. |
| 7.0 to 7.9 | Major earthquake. Serious damage. |
| 8.0 or greater | Great earthquake. Can totally destroy communities near the epicenter. |
How big is an 8.2 earthquake?
But such a large event would be devastating elsewhere. A magnitude 8.2 earthquake is nearly as large as the biggest earthquake thought possible along the San Andreas fault.
What scale do we use to measure an earthquake?
The Richter scale measures the largest wiggle (amplitude) on the recording, but other magnitude scales measure different parts of the earthquake. The USGS currently reports earthquake magnitudes using the Moment Magnitude scale, though many other magnitudes are calculated for research and comparison purposes.
What are the three types of earthquake scales?
– P-waves are also known as the Primary waves. They are the first waves to arrive at the surface. – The characteristics of P-waves are like sound waves. – These waves tend to vibrate parallel to the direction of wave propagation. – These waves are responsible for elongating and squeezing of material.
What scale is used to describe the magnitude of earthquakes?
The magnitude of an earthquake, usually expressed by the Richter Scale, is a measure of the amplitude of the seismic waves. …. The Richter Scale, named after Dr. Charles F. Richter of the California Institute of Technology, is the best known scale for measuring the magnitude of earthquakes.
What is scale helps you determine the magnitude of an earthquake?
There are a number of ways to measure the magnitude of an earthquake. The first widely-used method, the Richter scale, was developed by Charles F. Richter in 1934. It used a formula based on amplitude of the largest wave recorded on a specific type of seismometer and the distance between the earthquake and the seismometer.