What is magnitude and amplitude of earthquake?

Earthquake magnitude is a measure of the “size,” or amplitude, of the seismic waves generated by an earthquake source and recorded by seismographs. (The types and nature of these waves are described in the section Seismic waves.)

How is earthquake amplitude measured?

First, the amplitude of the surface wave is measured on a seismogram produced by a Wood-Anderson seismometer (a specfic type of seismometer) and then it is compared with distance from the earthquake or the S-P time (which is the amount of time between the P-wave and S-wave arrival) to yield a magnitude.

Do earthquakes have high amplitude?

The amplitude range of seismic waves is also great in most earthquakes. Displacement of the ground ranges from 10−10 to 10−1 metre (4−12 to 4 inches). In the greatest earthquakes the ground amplitude of the predominant P waves may be several centimetres at periods of two to five seconds.

What is the highest amplitude of an earthquake?

Although the Richter Scale has no upper limit, the largest known shocks have had magnitudes in the 8.8 to 8.9 range. Recently, another scale called the moment magnitude scale has been devised for more precise study of great earthquakes. The Richter Scale is not used to express damage.

What is intensity of earthquake?

The intensity is a number (written as a Roman numeral) describing the severity of an earthquake in terms of its effects on the earth’s surface and on humans and their structures. Several scales exist, but the ones most commonly used in the United States are the Modified Mercalli scale and the Rossi-Forel scale.

Is intensity 2 and magnitude 2 of an earthquake the same Why?

Is intensity 2 and magnitude 2 of an earthquake the same? Why? No, because intensity is a measure of an earthquake in terms of energy while magnitude is a measure of the damaged caused by an earthquake.

What is wave amplitude?

amplitude, in physics, the maximum displacement or distance moved by a point on a vibrating body or wave measured from its equilibrium position. It is equal to one-half the length of the vibration path.

What is the earthquake frequency?

The National Earthquake Information Center now locates about 20,000 earthquakes around the globe each year, or approximately 55 per day.

What is the amplitude of an earthquake wave?

The amplitude of a seismic wave is the amount the ground moves up or down. Amplitude is one-half the distance between the crest and trough of one wave length. In drawing at right, maximum displacement is 2 + 2 = 4, so Amplitude = 0.5 * 4 = 2.

What waves have the highest amplitudes?

Gamma rays has the greatest amplitude among all electromagnetic waves.

What is magnitude and intensity?

Magnitude is a measure of earthquake size and remains unchanged with distance from the earthquake. Intensity, however, describes the degree of shaking caused by an earthquake at a given place and decreases with distance from the earthquake epicentre.

Which is stronger intensity or magnitude?

Magnitude measures the energy released at the source of the earthquake. Magnitude is determined from measurements on seismographs. Intensity measures the strength of shaking produced by the earthquake at a certain location. Intensity is determined from effects on people, human structures, and the natural environment.