Question

One earthquake has a MMS magnitude 4.1. If a second earthquake has 540 times as much energy as the first, find the magnitude of the second quake.​

Answer 1

This is not the case. Instead, use the equation M = 2/3log(S/S 0), where M is the amplitude of the first earthquake and S is the seismic moment. In this instance... 2/3log(S/S 0) = 3.3 log(S/S 0) = 3.3(2/3) log(S S 0) = 4.95 ten S = 10 = 4.95 = S/S 0 4.95*S 0*S 0*S 0*S 0* 610*104.95*S 0 = S 2/3log((610*104.95*S 0)/S 0) M M = 2/3log(60*104.95) M = 2/3log(60*104.95) M = 2/3log(60 5.156887 M = 5.156887 M = 5.156887 M = 5. As a result, the magnitude of the second quake is 5.156887.