The most commonly used scale to measure earthquake intensity is the Richter scale. This logarithmic scale quantifies the magnitude of seismic waves generated by earthquakes. Developed in the 1930s, it is based on the amplitude of seismic waves recorded by seismographs. An increase of one unit on the Richter scale corresponds to a tenfold increase in measured amplitude, which translates to roughly 31.6 times more energy release. The Richter scale helps scientists assess the strength and potential impact of earthquakes on communities and infrastructure.