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Richter scale
noun
- a scale, ranging from 1 to 10, for indicating the intensity of an earthquake.
Richter scale
/ ˈrɪxtə /
noun
- a scale for expressing the magnitude of an earthquake in terms of the logarithm of the amplitude of the ground wave; values range from 0 to over 9 Compare Mercalli scale See also magnitude
Richter scale
/ rĭk′tər /
- A logarithmic scale used to rate the strength or total energy of earthquakes. The scale has no upper limit but usually ranges from 1 to 9. Because it is logarithmic, an earthquake rated as 5 is ten times as powerful as one rated as 4. An earthquake with a magnitude of 1 is detectable only by seismographs; one with a magnitude of 7 is a major earthquake. The Richter scale is named after the American seismologist Charles Francis Richter (1900–1985).
- See Note at earthquake
Richter scale
- A scale used to rate the intensity of earthquakes . The scale is open-ended, with each succeeding level representing ten times as much energy as the last. A serious earthquake might rate six to eight, and very destructive quakes rate higher.
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Notes
No quake greater than nine has ever been recorded.
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Word History and Origins
Origin of Richter scale1
1935–40; after Charles F. Richter (1900–85), U.S. seismologist
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Word History and Origins
Origin of Richter scale1
C20: named after Charles Richter (1900–85) US seismologist
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Compare Meanings
How does Richter scale compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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Example Sentences
The most recent activity had a high point of 3.6 on the Richter Scale.
From The Daily Beast
This is how seismic safety is done, by the force of gravity, not from Richter-scale measurements.
From The Daily Beast
The Taliban advance should be causing high Richter-scale reactions inside the Obama White House.
From The Daily Beast
The magnitude of an earthquake, usually expressed by the Richter Scale, is a measure of the amplitude of the seismic waves.
From Project Gutenberg
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