Measuring

Earthquake
 Magnitude
•Is the amount
of energy
released
during an
earthquake.
 The Richter scale
• Charles Richter (1935)
• This scale based the magnitude of
the earthquake from the size of
the largest seismic waves
generated by a factor of 10
-His scale was based on the
seismogram measured by a
particular type of seismometer at a
distance of 100 kilometers (62 mi)
from the earthquake.
How does the Richter scale works?
• Magnitudes are based on a logarithmic scale (in base
10). For each whole number you go up the magnitude
scale; the amplitude of the ground motion recorded
by a seismograph goes up 10 times.

• Example, seismic waves of a magnitude 8 earthquake

on a Richter scale are 10 times larger than a
magnitude 7 earthquake and 100 times larger than a
magnitude 6 earthquake.
 The Modified Mercalli Scale
• It assesses the strength
of an earthquake based
on the amount of
damage to the structure.

• Guiseppe Mercalli 1902

Intensity I
Not felt
 Intensity II
Felt only by few people at rest.
Suspended objects may swing
 Intensity III
Felt noticeably indoors. Many people do not
recognize it as an earthquake. Parked cars may
shake slightly.
 Intensity IV
Felt indoors by many, outdoors by few. Dishes,
windows, doors rattle. Parked cars shake
noticeably
 Intensity V
Felt by most; many awakened. Some
dishes, windows broken. Unstable
object overturned.
 Intensity VI
Felt by all. Some heavy furniture
moves. Damage slight
 Intensity VII
Slight to moderate damage in well-built
structures; considerable damage in poorly-built
structures; some chimneys broken
 Intensity VIII
Considerable damage in well built structures.
Damage great in poorly built structures. Fall of
chimneys, factory stacks, columns, monuments
and walls
 Intensity IX
Damage great in well built structures
with partial collapse. Buildings shifted off
foundations
 Intensity X
Some well built wooden structures destroyed;
most masonry and frame structures destroyed.
Rails bent
 Intensity XI
Few if any masonry structures remain
standing. Bridges destroyed. Rails bent
greatly.
 Intensity XII
Damage total. Lines of sight and level are
distorted. Objects thrown into the air.
 Locating
Earthquakes
How do you know where
the center of an
earthquake is?
 Seismograph
• It is very sensitive instruments that detect and
record vibrations sent out by earthquakes, even
at great distances from the epicenter.
 Seismogram
The record that seismograph makes is
called seismogram
STEPS IN LOCATING
EARTHQUAKES
 Step 1
• STEP 1:  FIND DISTANCES Seismogram 1:   
       Difference in arrival times = 4 min 0 sec
TO THE EPICENTER        Distance to epicenter = 2,800 km
Seismogram 2: 
• THE FIRST THING WE NEED         Difference in arrival times = 5 min 40 sec
       Distance to epicenter  = 4,000 km
TO DO IS FIGURE OUT THE Seismogram 3: 
DISTANCE FROM EACH        Difference in arrival times = 3 min 0 sec 
       Distance to epicenter = 1,800 km 
SEISMOGRAM TO THE
EPICENTER, USING THE
SAME METHOD WE
LEARNED IN THE LAST
LESSON. 
 Step 2
• STEP 2:  DRAW CIRCLES

• Now that we know the distance from

each location to the epicenter, we
need to mark those distances on a
map.  However, since we don't know
the direction to the epicenter, we
need to DRAW CIRCLES AROUND
EACH STATION WITH A RADIUS
EQUAL TO THE DISTANCE WE JUST
FOUND. 
 Step 3
• STEP 3:  MARK THE EPICENTER

• THE THREE CIRCLES THAT WE

DREW SHOULD INTERSECT, OR
NEARLY INTERSECT, AT ONE
POINT.  THAT POINT IS THE
EPICENTER OF THE EARTHQUAKE.
 MARK THE EPICENTER WITH A
BIG X OR POINT.