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Consider the following statements regarding the Moment Magnitude Scale:
  1. It is a logarithmic scale that measures the total amount of energy released by an earthquake.
  2. It is based on the total moment release of the earthquake, which is a product of the distance a fault moved and the force required to move it. 
Which of the statements given above is/are not correct?
  • a)
    1 only
  • b)
    2 only
  • c)
    Both 1 and 2
  • d)
    Neither 1 nor 2
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?
Most Upvoted Answer
Consider the following statements regarding the Moment Magnitude Scale...
The correct answer is option 'D' - Neither 1 nor 2. Let's analyze each statement to understand why it is incorrect.

1. It is a logarithmic scale that measures the total amount of energy released by an earthquake.
The first statement is incorrect. The Moment Magnitude Scale (Mw) is a logarithmic scale, but it does not measure the total amount of energy released by an earthquake. Instead, it measures the magnitude of an earthquake based on the seismic moment, which is a measure of the total energy released by an earthquake. The seismic moment is related to the area of the fault that slipped, the average amount of slip along the fault, and the rigidity of the rocks involved. The Mw scale provides a better estimate of the earthquake's size compared to other magnitude scales like the Richter scale.

2. It is based on the total moment release of the earthquake, which is a product of the distance a fault moved and the force required to move it.
The second statement is also incorrect. The Moment Magnitude Scale (Mw) is based on the seismic moment of the earthquake, which is not directly related to the distance a fault moved or the force required to move it. The seismic moment is calculated using the formula M0 = μDS, where M0 is the seismic moment, μ is the rigidity of the rocks, D is the average slip along the fault, and S is the area of the fault that slipped. As you can see, the seismic moment is determined by the slip and the area of the fault, not the distance or force required to move it.

In summary, the Moment Magnitude Scale (Mw) is a logarithmic scale that measures the magnitude of an earthquake based on the seismic moment, which is determined by the slip and area of the fault. It does not directly measure the total energy released by an earthquake or the distance and force required to move the fault. Therefore, neither statement 1 nor statement 2 is correct.
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Community Answer
Consider the following statements regarding the Moment Magnitude Scale...
An extremely large earthquake with a magnitude 7.8 out of 10 on the moment magnitude scale occurred in the southeast of Turkey, near the border with Syria.
About Moment Magnitude Scale:
  • It is a logarithmic scale that measures the total amount of energy released by an earthquake.
  • It is the only scale capable of reliably measuring the magnitudes of the largest, most destructive earthquakes (that is, greater than magnitude 8).
  • It was developed in the 1970s by Japanese seismologist Hiroo Kanamori and American seismologist Thomas C. Hanks.
  • How is it calculated?
  • The moment magnitude scale is based on the total moment release of the earthquake. 
  • Moment is a product of the distance a fault moved and the force required to move it. 
  • It is derived from modeling recordings of the earthquake at multiple stations. 
  • Moment magnitude estimates are about the same as Richter magnitudes for small to large earthquakes. But only the moment magnitude scale is capable of measuring M8 (read "magnitude 8") and greater events accurately.
Hence both statements are correct.
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Consider the following statements regarding the Moment Magnitude Scale: It is a logarithmic scale that measures the total amount of energy released by an earthquake. It is based on the total moment release of the earthquake, which is a product of the distance a fault moved and the force required to move it.Which of the statements given above is/arenotcorrect?a)1 onlyb)2 onlyc)Both 1 and 2d)Neither 1 nor 2Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?
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