We can compare the intensities of earthquakes using the Richter scale M=logI/S. On 21/11/2022, West Java recorded an earthquake with magnitude M=5.6. This was the deadliest earthquake to hit Indonesia since the 28/9/2018 Sulawesi earthquake. The Sulawesi earthquake had a magnitude of M=7.5. How many times more intense was the first earthquake than the second earthquake?

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Understand Richter scale formula: Understand the Richter scale formula. The Richter scale is given by M = log(I/S), where M is the magnitude on the Richter scale, I is the intensity of the earthquake, and S is a standard intensity. To compare the intensities of two earthquakes, we can use the formula to find the ratio of their intensities.Calculate intensity ratio: Calculate the intensity ratio using the magnitudes of the two earthquakes. Let I1 be the intensity of the West Java earthquake and I2 be the intensity of the Sulawesi earthquake. We have M1 = 5.6 for the West Java earthquake and M2 = 7.5 for the Sulawesi earthquake. The ratio of the intensities can be found using the formula 10^(M2 - M1) = I2/I1.Substitute given magnitudes: Substitute the given magnitudes into the formula. 10^(M2 - M1) = 10^(7.5 - 5.6) = 10^1.9Calculate intensity ratio: Calculate the intensity ratio. 10^1.9 is the ratio of the intensity of the Sulawesi earthquake to the intensity of the West Java earthquake. Using a calculator, we find that 10^1.9 is approximately 79.43.Interpret result: Interpret the result. The calculation shows that the Sulawesi earthquake was approximately 79.43 times more intense than the West Java earthquake.

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