Final answer:
An earthquake that measures 8 on the Richter scale is 1000 times more intense than an earthquake that measures 5.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Richter scale is used to measure the intensity of earthquakes. It is a logarithmic scale, meaning that each increase in one unit corresponds to a tenfold increase in the intensity of the earthquake. So, if an earthquake measures 8 on the Richter scale and another earthquake measures 5, we can determine the difference in intensity by calculating the ratio of their amplitudes. Since the Richter scale is logarithmic, a difference of 8 - 5 = 3 on the scale corresponds to a ratio of 10^3 = 1000 in intensity. Therefore, an earthquake that measures 8 is 1000 times more intense than an earthquake that measures 5 on the Richter scale.