GEOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -While each whole number increase in magnitude represents a tenfold increase in the measured amplitude, it represents an 32 times more energy release.

Detailed explanation-2: -Adjustments are included for the variation in the distance between the various seismographs and the epicentre of the earthquakes. The Richter scale is a base-10 logarithmic scale, meaning that each order of magnitude is 10 times more intensive than the last one.

Detailed explanation-3: -A 3.0 earthquake is 10 times stronger than a 2.0 earthquake. Varies at different distances from the epicenter, but one value is given for the earthquake as a whole.

Detailed explanation-4: -Richter Scale However, the energy released by a seismic wave is 101.5 (or about 31.6x) the amount of its amplitude, meaning that a 7.0 quake releases 31.6 times more energy than a 6.0 quake, or 1, 000 times more energy than a 5.0 quake.