INTENSITY AND MAGNITUDE

An earthquake is a natural disaster that can cause significant damage to

buildings, infrastructure, and human life. Understanding the characteristics of
earthquakes is crucial for predicting their effects and minimizing their impact on
society. In this page, we will explore the fundamental characteristics including
their magnitude and intensity. By examining these characteristics, we can gain a
deeper understanding of earthquakes and their potential impact on our world.
 The effect of an earthquake on the Earth's surface is called the Intensity. The
intensity of an earthquake at a characterized location is a number that describes
the severity of ground shaking at that location by considering the effects of the
shaking on people, on manmade structures, and on the landscape. Although
numerous intensity scales have. has been developed over the last several
hundred years to evaluate the effects of earthquakes, the one currently used in
the United States in the Modified Mercalli (MM) Intensity scale. It was
developed in 1931 by the American seismologists Harry Wood and Frank
Neumann.

Modified Mercalli (MM) Intensity scale

https://.indiana.edu/earthquake-part-3sciencefest/
In seismology, Magnitude is a measure of the size or strength of an earthquake.
It is calculated based on the seismic energy released by the earthquake at its
source, usually expressed in terms of seismic waves recorded on seismographs.
There are several different ways to measure earthquake magnitude, but the most
commonly used scale is the Richter scale, which was developed by seismologist
Charles Richter in the 1930s. The Richter scale assigns a numerical value to
an earthquake based on the amplitude of the largest seismic wave recorded on a
seismogram, with each increase of one unit corresponding to a tenfold increase
in the amplitude of the waves.

RICHTER SCALE
https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-purpose-of-the-Richter-Scale-and-a-seismograph

There are three types of faults namely, convergent faults, divergent faults
and transform faults. Convergent fault, also known as reverse fault,
occurs when two tectonic plates are moving towards each other, and
one floor is forced beneath the other. This creates a compressive force that
causes the fault to move in a vertical direction, resulting In the uplift of the
Earth's surface. The San Andreas Fault in California is an example of a
convergent fault.

Divergent Faults, also known as normal Faults, occur when two tectonic
plates are moving away from each other, and the Earth's crust is
stretched and pulled apart. This creates a tensional force that causes the
Fault to move in a vertical direction, resulting in the Formation of a rift
valley. The East African Rift Valley is an example of a divergent Fault.

Transform Faults occur where two tectonic plates slide past each other
horizontally, creating a shearing force that can result in earthquakes. The
most famous transform Fault is the San Andreas Fault in California, which
runs for over 1,200 kilometers and separates the Pacific Plate from the
North American plate.