Using the Richter scale, each whole number increase in magnitude represents a tenfold increase in intensity.
Therefore, the difference in magnitude between the two earthquakes is 7.8 - 3.1 = 4.7.
Since each whole number increase represents a tenfold increase in intensity, we need to calculate 10^4.7 to determine the ratio of intensity between the two earthquakes:
10^4.7 ≈ 50,119
Therefore, the larger earthquake's intensity was approximately 50,119 times as great as the smaller earthquake's intensity.
How does an earthquake of magnitude 7.8 compare in intensity with an earthquake of magnitude of 3.1 on the Richter scale?
The larger earthquake's intensity was ? times as great as the smaller earthquake's intensity.
(Round to the nearest whole number as needed.)
1 answer