event magnitude

Event magnitude is a measure of the size or intensity of an event, such as an earthquake, measured mathematically to compare different events. For earthquakes, magnitude quantifies the energy released during the quake, with larger magnitudes indicating more powerful events. It is calculated using specific data, often from seismic waves, and expressed on a logarithmic scale—meaning each whole number increase represents about 31 times more energy released. This allows scientists to compare and understand the relative strength of various events, regardless of their location or the time they occurred.