How many more times intense is an earthquake that measures 8 on the Richter scale than an earthquake that measures 5? Explain your answer.

Answer:

A magnitude 8 earthquake is 1,000 times more intense than a magnitude 5 earthquake. This is because each unit on the Richter scale represents a 10-fold increase in intensity. Since the difference between 8 and 5 is 3 units, the intensity difference is 10 to the power of 3 (10^3), which equals 1,000.