what is magnitude

magnitude ?

If you have a vector (in, say, three dimensions) then the magnitude of that vector is given by (Pythagoras):



Magnitude is a measure of the amount of energy released during an earthquake. It may be expressed using several magnitude scales. One of these, Used in Southern California, is called the Richter scale. To calculate magnitude, the amplitude of waves on a seismogram is measured, correcting for the distance between the recording instrument and the earthquake epicentre. Since magnitude is representative of the earthquake itself, there is thus only one magnitude per earthquake.



Taking the Lawton earthquake of 1998 APR 28, as an example, one could not therefore speak of magnitude 4 at Lawton and magnitude 3 at Tulsa. The effects ( or intensities) at the two places were different, but the magnitude of an earthquake is unique; in this example, it was 4.2 on the Richter scale.



The magnitude scale is logarithmic. This means that, at the same distance, an earthquake of magnitude 6 produces vibrations with amplitudes 10 times greater than those from a magnitude 5 earthquake and 100 times greater than those from a magnitude 4 earthquake.



In terms of energy, an earthquake of magnitude 6 releases about 30 times more energy than an earthquake of magnitude 5 and about 1000 times more energy than an earthquake of magnitude 4.



It is very unlikely that an earthquake of magnitude less than 5 could cause any damage.



Copyright Geological Survey of Canada, modified and used with permission.

discussion results 

* "magnitude" is a long word which means something very simple.



As CompuChip says, it just means how big something is.



For example, if something is displaced along the x-axis by 3, then the magnitude of its displacement is also 3.



But if something is displaced along the x-axis by -3, then the magnitude of its displacement is still 3.



(magnitude is always positive, or zero.)



* Displacement is a vector quantity defined as the change in position - from an initial point i to a final point f. Its magnitude is the length of the



straight line between i and f and its direction is from i to f. The actual path taken is irrelevant.



Distance is a scaler quantity defined as the path length, i.e., it does depend on the actual path taken. Distance only equals the magnitude of



the displacement for straight line paths.



* Displacement is a vector quantity. It has direction and magnitude. The absolute quantity of vector is its magnitude.



You can use the formula posted by CompuChip to calculate it



* Simpler still, magnitude is the size or length (always positive or zero) of a vector, independent of the vector direction. "Displacement" in



Newtonian physics, is a vector, and has two elements, a signed length (positive, negative, or zero) and a direction.

Reference 

Break It Down Experiments: Force: Magnitude & Direction (2006)

 

 

Break It Down goes Hollywood to uncover the magic of movie stunts, real guns, fake blood and a whole lot of cinematic secrets. Watch magnitude, direction and speed in action as our hosts make an action packed movie and see how force is behind it all.

click image to details

News 

A 6.0 magnitude aftershock shakes Tokyo again

The Japan Meteorological Agency put the magnitude of the quake at 6.0 on the Richter scale, according to public broadcaster NHK. The epicentre was located in Shizuoka, about 120 kilometres (75 miles) southwest of the capital and near Mount Fuji, ...

Japan Quake Upgraded To 9.0

(Washington, DC) -- The massive quake that leveled part of northern Japan has been upgraded to a magnitude 9.0. The US Geological Survey reports on its website the original magnitude 8.9 was only a preliminary estimate when the temblor first hit off ...

What are your thoughts on the magnitude 8.9 earthquake that struck Japan?

Pitts Hizon, Pampanga: I hope and pray that we do not suffer the same fate and be spared from such devastation brought about by an 8.9 magnitude quake and tsunami that wreaked havoc in Japan. My prayers go out to the victims of this catastrophe. ...

Strong quake jolts Tokyo, magnitude revised upward

TOKYO, March 15 (Xinhua) -- The magnitude of a strong and shallow earthquake which jolted Shizuoka Prefecture and its vicinity, including Tokyo, on Tuesday evening was revised upward to 6.4 from 6.0, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. ...

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