Why does the Richter scale measure earthquake magnitude?

Richter scale measures earthquake magnitude because it provides an objective measure of the energy an earthquake releases. sciencenotes.org

The scale quantifies the amplitude of seismic waves recorded by seismographs, which directly correlates with the energy released during the quake. www.economygalaxy.com Larger amplitudes indicate more powerful earthquakes. www.economygalaxy.com

The Richter scale is logarithmic, meaning that each whole number increase on the scale represents a tenfold increase in amplitude of the seismic waves and approximately 31,6 times more energy release. www.economygalaxy.com www.thewowinfo.com

This uniformity is crucial for comparing earthquakes from different times and locations. perlan.vercel.app By quantifying the energy released, the scale helps assess potential damage, plan emergency responses, and design buildings and infrastructure that can withstand seismic forces. perlan.vercel.app