Plate Tectonics Questions
The difference between a magnitude 5 earthquake and a magnitude 7 earthquake is that a magnitude 7 earthquake is significantly stronger and more destructive than a magnitude 5 earthquake. The magnitude scale is logarithmic, meaning that each whole number increase represents a tenfold increase in the amplitude of the seismic waves and approximately 31.6 times more energy release. Therefore, a magnitude 7 earthquake releases around 31.6 times more energy than a magnitude 5 earthquake, resulting in more severe shaking, greater damage to structures, and a larger affected area.