Solve the problem.
-If the magnitude of an earthquake is 5 on the Richter scale, how many times more intense is the earthquake than the smallest measurable activity?
A) 50
B) 100,000
C) 10,000
D) 5

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Richter scale is logarithmic, and each increase of one on the scale represents a tenfold increase in the magnitude of the earthquake. Therefore, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5 is 10 times more intense than an earthquake with a magnitude of 4 (not the smallest measurable activity). Since each increase of one on the Richter scale represents a tenfold increase in magnitude, to find out how many times more intense an earthquake with a magnitude of 5 is compared to the smallest measurable activity, we need to calculate 10 to the power of 5 (the difference between 5 and 0, the smallest measurable activity).

10^5 = 100,000

Therefore, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5 is 100,000 times more intense than the smallest measurable activity. The answer is B. The Richter scale is logarithmic, meaning that each increase of 1 on the scale represents a 10-fold increase in seismic waves' amplitude and 32-fold increase in energy released. Therefore, an earthquake measuring 5 is 10^(5-1) times more intense than the smallest measurable activity. This is equal to 10^4, which is 10,000. Therefore, the answer is B) 100,000.

Solve the Problem. -If the Magnitude of an Earthquake Is 5 on the 5