Final answer:
The Richter magnitude scale is the correct answer; it measures the energy released during an earthquake and is based on a logarithmic scale that accounts for the amplitude and energy of the seismic waves.
Step-by-step explanation:
The scale that measures the energy released by an earthquake, which does not directly measure the extent of building damage, is the Richter magnitude scale. Richter scale numbers, such as 2.3, 4.0, 6.1, and 7.0, represent the magnitude of the earthquake, which quantifies the energy produced by the seismic event. The Richter scale is a logarithmic scale that is related to both the amplitude of the earthquake waves and the energy they carry.
The destructiveness of an earthquake provides palpable evidence of the energy carried by seismic waves. However, the Richter scale is specifically designed to measure the energy release of an earthquake rather than the damage caused. This scale uses a log base 10 scale to accurately represent the exponentially increasing energy levels as magnitudes rise.