What is the difference between the Mercalli scale the Richter scale and the magnitude scale?

Answer 1

In seismology (the study of seismic waves or vibrations in the ground / earthquakes) the Richter scale is a magnitude scale.

Magnitude scales show the amount of energy released by an earthquake. In the case of the Richter magnitude this is based on the amplitude of the seismic waves measured on a seismometer and the distance of the seismometer station from the epicentre of the earthquake. The magnitude value should be the same for a given earthquake no matter where it is recorded.

The Mercalli scale is an intensity scale. This gives information on the perceived ground shaking in a specific location. The value is derived from witness reports on the perceived violence of the shaking, from the damage done to buildings and other infrastructure and also based on measurements from accelerometers and other seismic recording instruments in order to make the Mercalli intensity value a less subjective parameter.

The intensity and damage to infrastructure can be influenced strongly by a number of variables including local ground conditions and the use (or otherwise) of earthquake resistant design.

Please see the related questions for more information.

Answer 2

The Richter scale measures the force of the earthquake (measured using a seismometer) It is a logarithmic scale (by increasing the number on the scale by one, the earthquake becomes 10 times more powerful, and goes from 0 upwards.

The Mercalli scale measures the amount of destruction caused, it is a qualitative scale, and goes from 1 (only read by instruments) to 12 (total destruction, 'cataclysmic)

Answer 3

The Richter Scale—more appropriately called the magnitude scale—is one means of expressing the magnitude of an earthquake (i.e., the amount of energy released). And the amount of damage likely to be caused by an earthquake - or earthquake intensity - is measured on the Mercalli Scale.

Answer 4

The Richter scale is a measure of the energy released during an earthquake through the use of a seismograph. The Mercalli scale, meanwhile, describes the intensity of an earthquake based on its observed effects,

Answer 5

richter measures the level of general impact for an earthquake, while mercalli measures the impact on society...

a strong earthquake in a non-poplulated area would have high richter value, but small mercalli, but in a large city, both richter and mercalli would be big

Answer 6

• Mercalli - measures the effects of an earthquake, the amount of damage done at a location
• Richter - measures the amplitude of the earthquake waves passing a location as the logarithm of the ratio of the amplitude of those seismic waves to an arbitrary minor amplitude
• moment magnitude - measures the energy released by the earthquake

Both the Mercalli and Richter measure the earthquake at an arbitrary location where the waves arrived and thus can and will vary depending on the observer, whereas the moment magnitude measures the earthquake at its origin and thus is a single value regardless of the observer.

Answer 7

the Richter scale measures the amount of energy released in am earthquake. The mercalli scale measures the effects of an earthquake

Answer 8

1. uses seismic wave