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Yes. The Mercalli intensity scale measures the effect of the earthquake on people and structures, and the intensity value will differ depending on how far you are from the epicenter.

For instance, a 5.5 magnitude earthquake may be damaging (intensity VII) around the epicenter, but 300 miles away it may be barely felt (intensity II).

The mercalli scale measures the intensity of an earthquake, where the Richter scale measures the magnitude.

Also you have to consider where the earthquake occurred. you can have a 9.0 quake in the middle of the Australian outback but there is hardly anybody there so you would have a low mercalli scale reading. If you had that same quake in San Francisco then you are going to have a seriously high number on the mercalli scale

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āˆ™ 13y ago
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āˆ™ 5mo ago

Earthquakes can generate multiple intensity values because the shaking and resulting damage can vary in strength and duration across different locations. Factors such as distance from the epicenter, local geology, and building construction can all influence the intensity experienced in a particular area. This variability is why different locations affected by the same earthquake can report different intensity values.

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āˆ™ 14y ago

The Modified Mercalli scale assigns a value to an earthquake from I to XII depending on it's intensity, with I being the lowest (only recorded by seismometers, not felt by humans) and XII being the highest (representing total destruction of all buildings).

Mercalli values are derived from a number of sources including witness reports of the perceived ground shaking in their location, the damage to structures and also measurements of the ground accelerations from seismometers (included to attempt to reduce the subjectivity of the scale due to it's reliance on human witnesses).

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āˆ™ 13y ago

It depends what you mean by the MMS scale. This could either be the Moment Magnitude scale or the Modified Mercalli scale.

The Modified Mercalli scale was designed to measure the intensity of an earthquake whereas the Richter scale was used to measure the magnitude of an earthquake.

Magnitude is the amount of energy released by an earthquake and is the same no matter where it is measured. Intensity is a measure of the severity of ground shaking and damage caused by an earthquake at a specific point and so can vary depending on the specific local ground conditions and the distance from the epicentre where it is measures.

The Moment Magnitude scale like the Richter scale is used to find the amount of energy released in an earthquake. However they use different methods to calculate this value. Using Richter's technique, the magnitude is assessed by the amplitude of seismic waves as measured by a seismometer (after applying a correction based on the distance of the seismometer station from the epicentre). The Moment magnitude scale is based on deriving the "seismic moment" of the earthquake. This is calculated based on the cross sectional area of the fault surface that slipped during the earthquake, the size of the fault displacement and the elastic properties of the rock mass surrounding the fault. This difference in measuring techniques normally accounts for the difference in Moment and Richter magnitudes for a given earthquake.

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āˆ™ 9y ago

It depends what you mean by the MMS scale. This could either be the Moment Magnitude scale or the Modified Mercalli scale.



The Modified Mercalli scale was designed to measure the intensity of an earthquake whereas the Richter scale was used to measure the magnitude of an earthquake.


Magnitude is the amount of energy released by an earthquake and is the same no matter where it is measured. Intensity is a measure of the severity of ground shaking and damage caused by an earthquake at a specific point and so can vary depending on the specific local ground conditions and the distance from the epicentre where it is measures.



The Moment Magnitude scale like the Richter scale is used to find the amount of energy released in an earthquake. However they use different methods to calculate this value. Using Richter's technique, the magnitude is assessed by the amplitude of seismic waves as measured by a seismometer (after applying a correction based on the distance of the seismometer station from the epicentre). The Moment magnitude scale is based on deriving the "seismic moment" of the earthquake. This is calculated based on the cross sectional area of the fault surface that slipped during the earthquake, the size of the fault displacement and the elastic properties of the rock mass surrounding the fault. This difference in measuring techniques normally accounts for the difference in Moment and Richter magnitudes for a given earthquake.

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āˆ™ 8y ago

Because an earthquakes magnitude is different from its intensity. Intensity measures the affects of an earthquake at earths surface. Magnitude measures how much energy is released by an earthquake.

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āˆ™ 8y ago

An earthquake might have more than one intensity value because there can be an aftershock.

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āˆ™ 13y ago

It might have an aftershock perhaps? :3

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Q: Why might an earth quake have more than one intensity value?
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An earthquake's intensity value measures .?

An earthquake's intensity value measures the impact of shaking at a specific location based on the effects felt by people and structures. It is often expressed on the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) scale, which ranges from I (not felt) to XII (total destruction).


An element of design that relates to the lightness and darkness of a color is called intensity?

Intensity is not related to the lightness and darkness of a color. The element of design that relates to the lightness and darkness of a color is called value. Intensity refers to the brightness or dullness of a color.


How is magnitude and intensity scale in earthquakes different?

Magnitude measures the total energy released at the earthquake's source, while intensity measures the effects of the earthquake at a specific location. Magnitude is a single value that applies to the entire earthquake, whereas intensity can vary from location to location depending on factors such as distance from the epicenter and local geology.


Explain the difference between magnitude and intensity of an earthquakes?

The magnitude of an earthquake is the amount of energy released at the source of the earthquake and is measured by a seismograph. Intensity is shaking strength of an earthquake at a particular location.


What is the strength measurement of earthquake intensity?

Earthquake intensity is typically measured using the Richter scale or the Moment Magnitude scale. These scales quantify the amount of energy released by an earthquake, expressed as a numerical value. The higher the number on the scale, the stronger the earthquake.

Related questions

How the energy of a quake travels through earth and damages the surface?

The energy is produced at the hypocentre or core and propogates towards the crust of the earth. That surface point is known as epicentre. The max richter scale value for a earth quake is just more than 9. There is no limit to max value.


Which scale is used to describe the intensity of an eartyhquake?

It's called the Richter scale. Numbered from 1 to 10, each number is ten times the previous. So - a quake with a value of 3 is 100 times more powerful than a level 1 quake.


Intensity of gravitational field of earth is maximum at?

The intensity of the gravitational field of Earth is maximum at its surface, where it is approximately 9.81 m/sĀ². This value decreases as you move further away from the surface of the Earth.


Hue value and intensity are properties of?

Hue value and intensity are properties of color. Hue refers to the specific color of an object, while intensity refers to the brightness or dullness of that color.


What is the difference between intensity and value?

Intensity refers to the purity or vividness of a color, while value refers to the lightness or darkness of a color. Intensity is about how bright or dull a color appears, while value is about how light or dark a color appears on a scale from white to black.


What can you spell with the letters qeevakl?

The longest word is "leave." (*With a U, you could spell quake and value).


What intensity is the weakest?

The moment magnitude scale goes as low as 0.0 and any quake that released less than 63 kilojoules of energy would registrer as 0.0 on the Richter scale. Quakes with a Richter value of 2.0 or less were classified as "microquakes" and were almost never detected by human senses.


What is the weakest earthquake intensity?

The moment magnitude scale goes as low as 0.0 and any quake that released less than 63 kilojoules of energy would registrer as 0.0 on the Richter scale. Quakes with a Richter value of 2.0 or less were classified as "microquakes" and were almost never detected by human senses.


What is the Intensity 1 and Intensity 2?

The intensity is a number (written as a Roman numeral) describing the severity of an earthquake in terms of its effects on the earth's surface and on humans and their structures.According to Modified Mercalli Scale, 1956 version, Intensity value I means than an earthquake is Only detectable by seismographs.Intensity II means an earthquake is Felt by persons at rest on upper floors or favorably placed.Best regards, Chernishov Nikolay.


What is meant by the half value layer of a homogenous beam?

The half value layer of a homogenous beam is the thickness of the absorber that reduces the intensity of the beam to half the initial (starting) intensity.


An earthquake's intensity value measures .?

An earthquake's intensity value measures the impact of shaking at a specific location based on the effects felt by people and structures. It is often expressed on the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) scale, which ranges from I (not felt) to XII (total destruction).


What is the value of 1 ampere?

ampere is the unit of the electric current intensity 1ampere=1coloumb/1sec intensity=quantity/time(by seconds)