Earthquake Calculator
Convert earthquake magnitude to energy release in joules and compare to TNT, atomic bombs, and volcanic eruptions.
Earthquake Magnitude and Energy
Moment magnitude ($M_w$) is the standard scale for reporting earthquake size today. Energy release grows rapidly with magnitude: each whole-number increase means about 32 times more energy.
Gutenberg-Richter Energy Formula
$$E = 10^{1.5M + 4.8}$$ $$\log E = 4.8 + 1.5M$$Where $E$ is energy in joules and $M$ is magnitude. Compare seismic instruments with the Seismometer Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Richter scale still used?
Richter magnitude is mostly historical. Modern reports use moment magnitude ($M_w$), which better represents energy for large earthquakes.
How much stronger is a magnitude 7 than magnitude 5?
Amplitude on a seismogram is about 100 times larger. Energy release is about 1,000 times greater because energy scales as $10^{1.5\Delta M}$.
What energy does a magnitude 5.8 earthquake release?
About $3.16 \times 10^{13}$ joules, roughly equivalent to 7,558 tons of TNT or about half a Hiroshima bomb.
What was the largest recorded earthquake?
The 1960 Valdivia, Chile earthquake had moment magnitude near 9.5 and released far more energy than any nuclear test.
Why compare earthquakes to TNT?
Joules are hard to visualize. TNT equivalents, atomic bomb yields, and volcanic eruption references make seismic energy easier to understand.
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