The Richter scale does not necessarily tell us about the physical effects of an earthquake because it only measures the magnitude, which is the energy released by the earthquake based on seismic wave amplitude recorded by seismographs. It does not account for factors such as the earthquake's depth, distance from populated areas, local geological conditions, building construction, or population density, all of which significantly influence the actual damage and shaking people feel. Additionally, the Richter scale was originally designed for moderate local earthquakes and tends to underestimate the energy of very large quakes, limiting its effectiveness in describing physical impacts. Therefore, two earthquakes with similar Richter magnitudes can have very different physical effects depending on these other factors. In summary:
- Richter scale measures earthquake magnitude by seismic wave amplitude, not damage.
- Damage depends on depth, distance, geology, building standards, and population.
- Scale saturates for very large earthquakes, underestimating energy release.
- Physical effects require consideration of intensity scales or other measures beyond magnitude alone.
