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What is the Richter scale?

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Quick answer

The Richter scale measures the strength (magnitude) of earthquakes. It's logarithmic, so each whole number is ten times more ground shaking — and about 32 times more energy — than the one below. A magnitude 6 quake is far stronger than a 5.

Key things to understand

  1. It measures earthquake magnitude (strength).
  2. It's logarithmic: each step is 10× more shaking.
  3. Each step is roughly 32× more energy released.
  4. Modern science often uses the related 'moment magnitude' scale.

People also ask

What does the Richter scale measure?
The magnitude, or strength, of an earthquake based on the size of its seismic waves.
Why is the Richter scale logarithmic?
Earthquake energy varies enormously, so a logarithmic scale keeps the numbers manageable.
How much stronger is a magnitude 7 than a 6?
About 10 times more shaking and roughly 32 times more energy released.