how many points are on the scale that majors earthquakes?

Answer 1

A seismic scale is used to measure and compare the relative severity of earthquakes.

Two fundamentally different but equally important types of scales are commonly used by seismologists to describe earthquakes. The original force or energy of an earthquake is measured on a magnitude scale, while the intensity of shaking occurring at any given point on the Earth's surface is measured on an intensity scale.

Seismic intensity scales
The first simple classification of earthquake intensity was devised by Domenico Pignataro in the 1780s. However, the first recognisable intensity scale in the modern sense of the word was drawn up by P.N.G. Egen in 1828; it was ahead of its time. The first widely adopted intensity scale, the Rossi-Forel scale, was introduced in the late 19th century. Since then numerous intensity scales have been developed and are used in different parts of the world: the scale currently used in the United States is the Modified Mercalli scale (MM), while the European Macroseismic Scale is used in Europe, the Shindo scale is used in Japan, and the MSK-64 scale is used in India, Israel, Russia and throughout the CIS.

"Most of these scales have twelve degrees of intensity, which are roughly equivalent to one another in values but vary in the degree of sophistication employed in their formulation."

Answer 2

There are two scales which measure earthquake magnitude.

They are the Richter Scale and the Mercalli Scale.

Richter scale was created in 1935 by the American seismologist Charles F. Richter. It measures how much the ground shakes 60 miles from the earthquakes epicenter. Richter magnitudes increase logarithmically, meaning the energy increases 10 times for each magnitude number. The numbers assigned are 2 through 8.

Mercalli intensity is based upon observations of the resulting earthquake damage and not actually measured on instruments. Invented by Italian seismologist Giuseppe Mercalli. This scale of intensity uses Roman Numerals I thru XII.

Answer 3

The Richter Scale, which is the most frequently used for measuring the intensity of earthquakes, is open-ended... there is no upper limit. So earthquakes will range from zero (no earthquake!) through 0.1 (smallest) upwards although in practice I believe something around a 10 seems to be the largest ever recorded.

Anyone who says the scale stops at 8 should speak to the US Geological Survey which states on their website (http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learning/facts.php):-
"The largest recorded earthquake in the United States was a magnitude 9.2 that struck Prince William Sound, Alaska on Good Friday, March 28, 1964 UTC"

Answer 4

To measure an earthquake, you need a Rhicter scale, and the points go from 1 (nothing more than a slight tremour, and sometimes not even that) to 9 (See the San Fransisco earthquake of 1900)

Answer 5

The RICHTER scale measures earthquakes and it goes from 2-8. You can read more about it at:
http://mistupid.com/geology/richter.htm

Answer 6

ther's 11 points on the earthquake scale...read below
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I. People do not feel any Earth movement.
II. A few people might notice movement if they are at rest and/or on the upper floors of tall buildings.
III. Many people indoors feel movement. Hanging objects swing back and forth. People outdoors might not realize that an earthquake is occurring.
IV. Most people indoors feel movement. Hanging objects swing. Dishes, windows, and doors rattle. The earthquake feels like a heavy truck hitting the walls. A few people outdoors may feel movement. Parked cars rock.
V. Almost everyone feels movement. Sleeping people are awakened. Doors swing open or close. Dishes are broken. Pictures on the wall move. Small objects move or are turned over. Trees might shake. Liquids might spill out of open containers.
VI. Everyone feels movement. People have trouble walking. Objects fall from shelves. Pictures fall off walls. Furniture moves. Plaster in walls might crack. Trees and bushes shake. Damage is slight in poorly built buildings. No structural damage.
VII. People have difficulty standing. Drivers feel their cars shaking. Some furniture breaks. Loose bricks fall from buildings. Damage is slight to moderate in well-built buildings; considerable in poorly built buildings.
VIII. Drivers have trouble steering. Houses that are not bolted down might shift on their foundations. Tall structures such as towers and chimneys might twist and fall. Well-built buildings suffer slight damage. Poorly built structures suffer severe damage. Tree branches break. Hillsides might crack if the ground is wet. Water levels in wells might change.
IX. Well-built buildings suffer considerable damage. Houses that are not bolted down move off their foundations. Some underground pipes are broken. The ground cracks. Reservoirs suffer serious damage.
X. Most buildings and their foundations are destroyed. Some bridges are destroyed. Dams are seriously damaged. Large landslides occur. Water is thrown on the banks of canals, rivers, lakes. The ground cracks in large areas. Railroad tracks are bent slightly.
XI. Most buildings collapse. Some bridges are destroyed. Large cracks appear in the ground. Underground pipelines are destroyed. Railroad tracks are badly bent.
XII. Almost everything is destroyed. Objects are thrown into the air. The ground moves in waves or ripples. Large amounts of rock may move.

Answer 7

Its a max of 8, a strong one, is over 6-7.

Answer 8

the richter scal it goes from 1.5-8,9




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