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Plate Tectonics
Quick questions on Earthquakes causes and measurement explained: N(A)-Level Geography plate tectonics
5short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What is measuring the energy?Show answer
The Richter scale measures the magnitude, or the amount of energy released, using instruments called seismometers that record ground movement. It is a numerical scale, and each whole step up represents a large increase in energy, so a magnitude 7 earthquake is far more powerful than a magnitude 6. The Richter value is the same wherever it is measured for a single earthquake.
What are measuring the effects?Show answer
The Mercalli scale measures the effects and damage an earthquake causes at a place, based on what people observe, such as cracked walls, fallen chimneys or collapsed buildings. Unlike the Richter scale, the Mercalli value varies from place to place for the same earthquake, because places nearer the epicentre, on softer ground, or with weaker buildings suffer more.
What is q1?Show answer
Define the epicentre of an earthquake. [1 mark]
What is q2?Show answer
State what the Richter scale measures and how it is recorded. [2 marks]
What is q3?Show answer
Explain why two towns the same distance from the epicentre might suffer different amounts of damage. [2 marks]
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