Final answer:
The Richter scale is based on the maximum amplitude of the largest seismic wave and quantifies the energy produced by an earthquake.
Step-by-step explanation:
The earthquake scale that is based on the maximum amplitude of the largest seismic wave is the Richter scale. The Richter scale quantifies the energy produced by an earthquake. The scale uses a logarithmic scale related to both the amplitude and energy carried by the earthquake waves. Examples of numbers on the Richter scale are 2.3, 4.0, 6.1, and 7.0.