Which earthquake scale measures the amplitude of deflection of a seismograph pen,standardized to an idealized distance of 100 km between the epicenter and the seismograph?
A) the Richter scale
B) the Mercalli scale
C) the moment magnitude scale
D) the surface-wave magnitude scale

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Richter scale measures the amplitude of deflection of a seismograph pen, standardized to an idealized distance of 100 km between the epicenter and the seismograph. It was developed by Charles Richter in 1935 and is still widely used today, although the moment magnitude scale is now more commonly used for larger earthquakes. The Richter scale is logarithmic, meaning that a one-unit increase in magnitude corresponds to a tenfold increase in the amplitude of ground motion.

Which Earthquake Scale Measures the Amplitude of Deflection of a Seismograph