the magnitude, m, of an earthquake is defined to be m = log i/s, where i is the intensity of the earthquake…

the magnitude, m, of an earthquake is defined to be m = log i/s, where i is the intensity of the earthquake (measured by the amplitude of the seismograph wave) and s is the intensity of a “standard” earthquake, which is barely detectable. what is the magnitude of an earthquake that is 35 times more intense than a standard earthquake? use a calculator. round your answer to the nearest tenth. -1.5 -0.5 1.5 3.6
Answer
Explanation:
Step1: Identify values of I and S
Given that the earthquake is 35 times more intense than a standard earthquake, so $I = 35S$.
Step2: Substitute into magnitude formula
Substitute $I = 35S$ into $M=\log\frac{I}{S}$, we get $M=\log\frac{35S}{S}$.
Step3: Simplify the expression
Since $\frac{35S}{S}=35$, then $M = \log(35)$.
Step4: Calculate the value
Using a calculator, $\log(35)\approx1.544$. Rounding to the nearest tenth gives $M\approx1.5$.
Answer:
C. 1.5