The expression Richter Magnitude Scale refers to a number of ways to assign a single number to quantify the energy contained in an earthquake.
In all cases, the magnitude is a base-10 logarithmic scale obtained by calculating the logarithm of the amplitude of waves measured by a seismograph. An earthquake that measures 5.0 on the Richter scale has a shaking amplitude 10 times larger and corresponds to an energy release of √1000 ≈ 31.6 times greater than one that measures 4.0.
Since the 1970s the use of the Richter Magnitude Scale has largely been supplanted by the moment magnitude scale in many countries. However, the Richter Magnitude Scale is still widely used in Russia and other CIS countries.
Developed in 1935 by Charles Richter in partnership with Beno Gutenberg, both from the California Institute of Technology, the scale was firstly intended to be used only in a particular study area in California, and on seismograms recorded on a particular instrument, the Wood-Anderson torsion seismograph. Richter originally reported values to the nearest quarter of a unit, but values were later reported with one decimal place. His motivation for creating the local magnitude scale was to compare the size of different earthquakes. His inspiration was the apparent magnitude scale used in astronomy to describe the brightness of stars and other celestial objects. Richter arbitrarily chose a magnitude 0 event to be an earthquake that would show a maximum combined horizontal displacement of 1 µm (0.00004 in) on a seismogram recorded using a Wood-Anderson torsion seismograph 100 km (62 mi) from the earthquake epicenter. This choice was intended to prevent negative magnitudes from being assigned. The smallest earthquakes that could be recorded and located at the time were of magnitude 3, approximately. However, the Richter scale has no lower limit, and sensitive modern seismographs now routinely record quakes with negative magnitudes.
William Sanford "Bill" Nye (born November 27, 1955), popularly known as Bill Nye the Science Guy, is an American science educator, comedian, television host, actor, mechanical engineer, and scientist. He is best known as the host of the Disney/PBS children's science show Bill Nye the Science Guy (1993–1998) and for his many subsequent appearances in popular media as a science educator.
William Sanford Nye was born in Washington, D.C., the son of Jacqueline (née Jenkins; c. 1920–2000), a codebreaker during World War II, and Edwin Darby "Ned" Nye (died 1997), also a World War II veteran whose experience in a Japanese prisoner of war camp led him to become a sundial enthusiast. Nye is a fourth-generation Washington, D.C. resident on his father's side of the family. After attending Lafayette Elementary and Alice Deal Junior High in the city, he was accepted to the private Sidwell Friends School on a partial scholarship, graduating in 1973. He studied mechanical engineering at Cornell University, where one of his professors was Carl Sagan, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in 1977. He was awarded an honorary doctorate by The Johns Hopkins University in May 2008. In May 2011, Nye was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from Willamette University where he was the keynote speaker for that year's commencement exercises.
Check one
[Erick Sermon]
Uh-huh
Yeah, aww yeah, uhh ";Richter Scale";
It goes lights, camera, action I'm on
One more time to kill em, my rap flow is fulfilling
I scream with the Beastie Boys -- What time is it?
It's two o'clock, you gettin knocked out the box
then kicked off the block, Def Squad Hit Squad
no we won't stop, fuck it call the cops (uh-huh)
I be the invincible, in the school of hard knocks
I'm the principle, Fatman Joe y'know
[Parrish Smith]
As you suffer the repercussions, comin through the blaze
bust the crime scene, cause some drama, niggaz duckin
When we come through, throwin the jab, in the one-two
Layin MC's out to trap, when we run through (like what?)
Like the marathon, flooded with the diamonds on
Get my rhymin on, PMD fuckin shinin on
Back to Biz, new address with the fat crib
My shit in the Wiz, poli'-in with the big wigs
Chorus: Erick Sermon
Off the meter, and everytime we reach the
tip-top and ya don't stop, uhh!
In the field of rap, we pull rank no question
We top the ";Richter Scale";
*repeat 2X*
[Erick Sermon]
Bust the techniques, E.D. fantastic
Unreal GangStarr shit, Mass Appeal
Rap's top dawg, I'm the one you call on
to get Sic'-Wid-It, E don't forget it
I'm six, two and a half, heavyset, chocolate brown
Hell of a jab, gift to gab
I'm the elite, keep it underground like street level
I rock a Rolex watch, with a diamond bezel
[Parrish Smith]
Rap terror terror, EPMD, a new era
Off the richter scale, blowin hotter than ever
with the Squadron, beg your pardon, got the heads noddin
Lost your mind and said, ";Shit!!"; when we barged in
the front door door, rugged, keeps our shit raw raw
Make hits for the fans, plus the world tour
Believe that, peep that E and P's back
Wreckin heads daily, so chill and Get the Bozack
Chorus
[Erick Sermon]
Yo Royal Flush-in, all my cats be bustin
Servin you Customers and those fake hustlers
Whassup? Step to me, I smack you silly
I'm the Kid, but no comparison to Billy
I ain't scared of you motherfuckers -- can't you tell?
Girls lose to me when they groove to Maxwell, uhh
I got one life to live so I'm livin
Got girls to be hittin more cars to be drivin
[Parrish Smith]
We stripped too many beats to make too many niggaz to break
No moves are fake, no warnin shots fired blastin on crews like corrupt Jakes
The Black Viper, scream on MC's and rhyme cyphers
More Dangerous Mind than, Michelle Pfeiffer
So skedaddle-daddle, you get rattled don't wanna battle-battle
Put one to your rhyme saddle, stompin through, like wild cattle
We flow beef so dead that, let that shit cease
I'm quick with the hands, plus accurate with the two-piece
Chorus