The table shows the location and magnitude of some notable earthquakes. How many times more energy was released by the earthquake in Mexico than by the earthquake in Afghanistan?
Earthquake Location Date Richter Scale Measure
Italy October 31, 2002 5.9
El Salvador February 13, 2001 6.6
Afghanistan May 30, 1998 6.9
Mexico January 22, 2003 7.6
Peru June 23, 2001 8.1
about 42.36 times as much energy
about 42.36 times as much energy
about 0.70 times as much energy
about 0.70 times as much energy
about 5.01 times as much energy
about 5.01 times as much energy
about 21 times as much energy
As per the Richter scale, each whole number increase represents a tenfold increase in amplitude and approximately 31.6 times more energy released.
So, the earthquake in Mexico (7.6 on the Richter scale) released approximately 202 times more energy than the earthquake in Afghanistan (6.9 on the Richter scale).