Question

An earthquake registered 7.4 on the Richter scale. If the reference intensity of this quake was 2.0 × 1011, what was its intensity?

Answer 1

The intensity was
`5.02377* 10^(18)`

Explanation:

We are given

An earthquake registered 7.4 on the Richter scale

so, RC=7.4

the reference intensity of this quake was 2.0 × 10^11

so,

`I_r=2.0* 10^(11)`

now, we can use formula

`RS=log((I)/(I_r) )`

now, we can plug values

`7.4=log((I)/(2.0* 10^(11)) )`

now, we can solve for I

`10^(7.4)=(I)/(2.0* 10^(11))`

`I=10^(7.4)* 2.0* 10^(11)`

`I=5.02377* 10^(18)`