Earthquakes. There are two types of waves associated with an earthquake: compres

Question

Earthquakes. There are two types of waves associated with an earthquake: compression and shear. The compression, or longitudinal, waves displace material behind the earthquake's path. Longitudinal waves travel at great speeds and are often called "primary waves" or simply "P" waves. Shear, or transverse, waves displace material at right angles to its path. Transverse waves do not travel as rapidly through the Earth's crust and mantle as do longitudinal waves, and they are called "secondary" or "S" waves. If a seismologist records the energy of P waves as 4.0 times 10^12 joules and the energy of S waves as 7.2 times 10^8 joules, what is the total energy? What would the combined effect be on the Richter scale? Round both answers to one decimal place. The total energy of the waves is times 10^12 joules which would measure on the Richter scale.

Explanation / Answer

The energy of an earth quake is usually calculated using the energy of P waves, hence the total energy of the seismic event is - 4.0X10^12

Magnitude:

Magnitude can be calculated using the following formula:

Me = 2/3 log10E – 2.9

      = 2/3 log10 4.4 X10^12 – 2.9

     = 6.5

Answer - Magnitude 6.5

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