Question

Which statement describes the Mercalli scale?

This scale measures seismic waves based on their size.
This scale rates an earthquake according to how much damage it causes.
This scale produces a single rating for earthquakes that reach the surface.
This scale measures the magnitude of an earthquake based on the size of seismic waves.

Answer 1

This scale rates an earthquake according to how much damage it causes.

The Mercalli (Modified Mercalli Intensity) scale measures observed effects and damage (intensity), not the earthquake's magnitude or seismic-wave size.