Question

How many more times intense is an earthquake that measures 8 on the Richter scale than an earthquake that measures 5? Explain your answer.

Answer 1

Answer: The earthquake will be 1000 times more intense when it is measured 8 on the Richter scale.

Explanation: Richter scale is the numerical scale which measures the intensity of earthquake with the help of seismographic oscillations.

Each level on the Richter scale is 10 times stronger than the previous one.

Richter scale measuring 8 is three levels up than the value 5 on the scale.

Hence, the earthquake having 8 on the Richter scale will be ( 10 × 10 × 10) = 1000 times more intense than the earthquake having 5 on the Richter scale.

Answer 2

The answer on edguinity is A magnitude 8 earthquake is 1,000 times more intense than a magnitude 5 earthquake. A magnitude 8 earthquake is 108 times more intense than a standard earthquake, while a magnitude 5 earthquake is 105 times more intense than a standard earthquake, and 108 ÷ 105 = 103. Each unit increase on the Richter scale corresponds to an intensity increase by a factor of 10. So from 5 to 8 on the Richter scale, the intensity increases by 103 = 1,000.