Sian and Daniel are researching information on earthquakes in the U.S. One of the largest was centered in San Francisco in 1906. It measured 7.8 on the richter scale.
a. find the amount of engr. released by the earthquake.
b. Sian says the amount of energy released was 3.16 x 10^23 ergs, Daniel says it was 10^23.5 ergs. who is correct? explain how
To find the amount of energy released by an earthquake, we can use the formula:
Energy (in ergs) = 10^(1.5 * magnitude + 4.8)
a. To find the amount of energy released by the San Francisco earthquake in 1906, we can substitute the magnitude (7.8) into the formula:
Energy = 10^(1.5 * 7.8 + 4.8)
Calculating this equation results in the amount of energy released by the earthquake.
b. Now let's compare Sian's and Daniel's claims to see who is correct.
Sian claims the amount of energy released was 3.16 x 10^23 ergs, while Daniel claims it was 10^23.5 ergs.
We can convert Sian's value to scientific notation by moving the decimal point one place to the right, giving us 3.16 x 10^24 ergs.
To compare the two values, we note that 10^24 is larger than 10^23.5. In scientific notation, a larger exponent represents a larger value. Therefore, Sian's claim of 3.16 x 10^24 ergs is larger than Daniel's claim of 10^23.5 ergs.
Hence, Sian's claim is correct, and the amount of energy released by the San Francisco earthquake in 1906 is approximately 3.16 x 10^24 ergs.