| Magnitude Change | Energy Change |
| 2.0 | about 1000 times |
| 1.0 | about 32 times |
| 0.5 | about 5.5 times |
| 0.3 | about 3 times |
| 0.1 | about 1.4 times |
This table shows that a magnitude 7.2 earthquake releases about 32 times more energy than a magnitude 6.2 earthquake, and a magnitude 8.2 earthquake releases about 1000 times more energy than a magnitude 6.2 earthquake. The amount of energy released and focal depth are key factors in the destructiveness of an earthquake. |
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