25.14.1 - Moment Magnitude (Mw)
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Practice Questions
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What does Mw stand for?
💡 Hint: Think about what we use to measure the size of earthquakes.
Name one component of the seismic moment.
💡 Hint: These components tell us how much energy was released.
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Interactive Quizzes
Quick quizzes to reinforce your learning
What does Mw stand for?
💡 Hint: It's the term commonly used among seismologists.
True or False: The Moment Magnitude scale is only applicable to large earthquakes.
💡 Hint: Think about how we need to quantify all earthquakes.
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Challenge Problems
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An earthquake occurs on a fault measuring 100 km² with an average slip of 1 meter. If the shear modulus of the rocks is 30 GPa, calculate the seismic moment and corresponding Mw.
💡 Hint: Ensure unit consistency while calculating.
How would you compare the energy release between two earthquakes, one with Mw 6.0 and another with Mw 7.0? Show the energy difference.
💡 Hint: Keep in mind the logarithmic nature of the scale.
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