Statement (B) is incorrect because the Richter scale is a mathematical formula (a scale), not a physical instrument. The instrument used to detect and record earthquakes is the seismograph. Additionally, the Richter scale measures magnitude (energy released), while intensity (damage/shaking) is measured by the Modified Mercalli Scale. ANSWER: (B) The Richter scale is an instrument for measuring the intensity of an earthquake.
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The Richter scale, developed by Charles Richter, is a logarithmic scale where each whole number increase represents a ten-fold increase in measured wave amplitude and roughly 32 times more energy release. It is a quantitative measure of the earthquake’s size at its source. Intensity, however, is a qualitative measure of how much the ground shook at a specific location, which varies depending on distance from the focus. Therefore, while we use a seismograph (instrument) to get the data, we use the Richter scale (calculation) to categorize the magnitude. Conflating “instrument” with “scale” and “magnitude” with “intensity” makes (B) incorrect.