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Difference Between a 7.1 and a 7.2 Earthquake

7.1 vs 7.2 Earthquake

Earthquakes are seismic events. They are also called a temblor or tremor or quake. When the Earth’s crust suddenly releases energy and creates seismic waves, it is called an earthquake. Earthquakes can be caused by natural activities like landslides, volcanic activities, etc., as well as human activities like nuclear tests, mine blasts, etc.

Seismic activity or the seismicity of a place refers to the type, size, and frequency of a particular earthquake. They are measured by seismometers and have different magnitudes. Different magnitudes of earthquakes are measured by different scales. If the earthquake magnitude is larger than 5, then it is observed as a moment magnitude. If they are less than 5, then they are measured on local scale called the Richter scale. The earthquakes more than a magnitude 7 are considered dangerous and may cause serious damage to a large area.

The energy released by earthquakes is not transmitted through the Earth’s surface. The energy released dissipates into the crust of the Earth and dissipates through other subsurface structures.

The main difference between a 7.1 and a 7.2 earthquake is the magnitude of the earthquake. The magnitude of an earthquake is calculated by a logarithm of different waves and their amplitudes by the seismograph. An earthquake magnitude is basically measured on a scale of  base-10.

The difference between a 7.1 magnitude of an earthquake and a 7.2 magnitude of an earthquake means that on the Richter scale or on the Moment Magnitude scale the difference amounts to 0.1 magnitude. A 0.1 magnitude is something worth noticing as the damage caused by the  amplitude of the wave is 100 percent more. It results in a 100 percent increase in the shaking of the Earth and a release of 3.1 times more energy than the 7.1 magnitude. The energy released by 7.2 magnitude earthquakes can cause far more damage than the earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter or Moment Magnitude scale and can cause far more shaking of the Earth’s crust.

Summary:

  1. A 7.1 or 7.2 magnitude earthquake refers to the different measurements of earthquakes being observed or measured on the Richter scale or Moment Magnitude scale.
  2. The 7.1 and 7.2 magnitude earthquakes have different amplitudes of waves, and they cause different amounts of shaking of the Earth’s crust as well as different amounts of damage.
  3. The difference between a 7.1 magnitude earthquake and a 7.2 magnitude earthquake means that on the Richter scale or Moment Magnitude scale the difference amounts to a 0.1 magnitude.
  4. In a 7.2 magnitude earthquake, the amplitude of the wave is 100 percent more than a 7.1 magnitude earthquake. It results in a 100 percent increase in the shaking of the Earth and a release of 3.1 times more energy than the 7.1 magnitude earthquake.

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3 Comments

  1. Thanks for this, Mr Kaushik.

    My only confusion is that if each additional 0.1 increases by 100% (i.e doubles) the strength of the quake, then a ‘7.1’ would be twice as strong as a ‘7’, a ‘7.2’ three times as strong, a ‘7.3’ four times as strong…. etc., which ends up with an ‘8’ being eleven times, not ten times, as strong as a ‘7’.

    Where am I going wrong in my logical (illogical?) progression?

    • Go back and read para #4: In a 7.2 magnitude earthquake, the amplitude of the wave is 100 percent more than a 7.1 magnitude earthquake. It results in a 100 percent increase in the shaking of the Earth and a release of 3.1 times more energy than the 7.1 magnitude earthquake.

      A 7.2 wave is DOUBLE that of a 7.1; SO, a 7.3 would be DOUBLE that of a 7.2, or FOUR times that of a 7.1.

      Each 100% increase (DOUBLING) results in 3.1 times more energy. So, it would make sense that 7.3, compared to a 7.1, would be 4X3.1, or 12.4 times stronger. But then, I only know math; I don’t know earthquakes.

  2. How can 7 be 10 times greater than a 6 if you use the explanation that is traditionally given?
    6.0,
    6.1, 2x 6.0
    6.2, 3×6.0
    6.3, 4x 6.0
    6.4, 5x 6.0
    6.5, 6x 6.0
    6.6, 7x 6.0
    6.7, 8x 6.0
    6.8, 9x 6.0
    6.9, 10x 6.0
    7.0 11x 6.0

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