Final answer:
Compared to a magnitude 3 earthquake, one with a magnitude of 4 has seismic waves 10 times larger and a 32-fold increase in seismic energy, due to the logarithmic nature of the Richter scale.
Step-by-step explanation:
When compared to an earthquake with a magnitude of 3, an earthquake with a magnitude of 4 has seismic waves 10 times larger and a 32-fold increase in seismic energy. The Richter scale, which measures earthquake magnitudes, is logarithmic. This means that with each whole number increase in magnitude, the amplitude of the seismic waves is 10 times larger, and the energy released increases by about 32 times. Therefore, the seismic energy released by a magnitude 4 earthquake is significantly greater than that of a magnitude 3 earthquake. It's important to understand that the destructive effect of an earthquake provides observable evidence of the energy carried in its waves, and it's this energy that correlates with the earthquake's amplitude and consequently its magnitude.