![]() ![]() Scientists use the Richter Scale to measure earthquake strength, starting at 1 at the weakest and 10 at the strongest.Įach level of the scale is ten times stronger than the previous. That is, a magnitude 2 earthquake is ten times stronger than a magnitude 1 earthquake. ![]() A magnitude 3 earthquake is one hundred times stronger than a magnitude 1 earthquake.Ī sizable earthquake is generally one that is 6.0+ on the Richter Scale. Knowing this, let’s take a look at some of the biggest earthquakes in history: A big earthquake is considered in the 7.0 area while a massive one is 8.0+ magnitude. The Cascadia Subduction Zone can have smaller earthquakes that originate in the crustal faults near Mt. But when the subduction zone ruptures, it’s estimated that it’ll be in the 9.0 range. ![]() The last time the Cascadia Subduction Zone had a big quake was in 1700. There is some debate over where exactly the quake will originate. Why Will “The Really Big One” Cause So Much Damage? Some scientists think that the earthquake could start under the Seattle-Tacoma area rather than out in the Pacific ( Blumenthal, 2009). The answer to this question lies in the fact that Seattle is a heavily populated urban metropolis that is built in a seismic hazard zone. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |