Question

Could an earthquake that has a magnitude 5.9 on the Richter scale be more damaging than one that measures 7.5?

a) Never, because it is not as strong.
b) Not likely, if the construction in the 5.9 is earthquake resistant.
c) Yes, because it causes a different kind of damage.
d) Possibly, because it is 1000 times stronger.
e) Possibly, if there are more people living in the area.

Answer 1

The Richter scale is used to measure the energy produced by an earthquake. A magnitude 7.5 earthquake is 10 times stronger than a magnitude 6.5 earthquake. Therefore, it is unlikely that a magnitude 5.9 earthquake would be more damaging than a magnitude 7.5 earthquake, unless there are other factors at play. So, the correct answer is b) Not likely, if the construction in the 5.9 is earthquake resistant.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Richter scale is used to measure the energy produced by an earthquake. It is a logarithmic scale, which means that each whole number increase on the scale represents an earthquake that is 10 times stronger in terms of energy released.

So, a magnitude 7.5 earthquake is actually 10 times stronger than a magnitude 6.5 earthquake. Therefore, it is unlikely that a magnitude 5.9 earthquake would be more damaging than a magnitude 7.5 earthquake, unless there are other factors at play, such as the earthquake resistance of the buildings in the area or the number of people living in the affected area.