The Richter scale is a measurement scale on which the energy released during an earthquake is expressed in a number, called magnitude; the higher the number, the higher the energy that was released. It's a logarithmic scale derived from the strength of the vibrations, as measured on the seismogram. The Richter scale is the first earthquake scale that estimates the energy released by an earthquake or seaquake, as previous scales focused on the intensities felt during earthquakes in various places.
If you are interested in knowing the most accurate calculation of the amount of energy released by an earthquake, consult the:
Moment Magnitude Scale.
Explanation:
Since Charles Richter's 1935 Richters Scale could only measure the earthquake's magnitude, modern scales have been developed to measure the energy released by earthquakes. The more useful scale for measuring earthquakes is called the Moment Magnitude Scale. This scale was defined by Thomas C. Hanks and Hiroo Kanamori (1979). In addition, the moment magnitude scale provides a better idea of the earthquake's characteristics by indicating the different seismic waves.
