Question

On the Richter scale, an increase in the magnitude of say $4$ units means that the destructive power of the earthquake increases by $4$ times?

• A. True
• B. False

Answer 1

The correct option is B False

Richter scale:

1. It is a logarithmic scale, which implies that each one-point rise on the scale corresponds to a ten-fold increase in quake magnitude.
2. That is, the wave amplitude in a level $5$ earthquake is $10$ times bigger than in a level $4$ earthquake, and between a level $5$ and a level $7$ earthquake, the amplitude increases $100$ times.
3. An earthquake's magnitude, or the amount of energy produced during an earthquake, is measured using the Richter scale.
4. So an increase in the magnitude of $4$ does not mean that the destructive power of the earthquake increases by $4$ times, it may rise by $10000$ times.
5. As the Richter scale is not linear, it's logarithmic.

Thus, an increase in the magnitude of $4$ units does not mean that the destructive power of the earthquake increases by $4$ times.

Hence, the statement is false.