Name the scale on which the destructive energy of an earthquake is measured.
A) Temperature scale
B) Vector scale
C) Richter scale
D) Energy scale

Hint: Earthquakes are caused when the earth’s tectonic plates slide over one another. Their magnitude is measured using a logarithmic scale. Generally, an earthquake of magnitudes higher than 5 is considered destructive in nature.

Complete step by step answer:
Richter magnitude scale is a scale that helps us in measuring the strength of an earthquake. Charles F. Richter invented it. It is a mathematical device that is used to compare the magnitudes of earthquakes. To calculate the Richter magnitude of an earthquake, we take the logarithm of the amplitude of waves which are recorded by Seismograph. A seismograph is a device that calculates and records the various types of information about an earthquake.
The measurements recorded from a Richter scale are whole numbers and fractions. The scale is graduated from 1 to 10. The seismograph will record an earthquake that measures 3 on this scale, but it will not be causing substantial damage in the area of impact. The earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 7 are highly destructive energy of an earthquake.

Hence the correct option is (C).

Additional information: The formula used to calculate the magnitude is as follows:
${M_L}$ = ${\log _{10}A - }{\log _{10}A_{0}}(\delta ) = {\log_{10}}\left[\dfrac{A}{{A_0}(\delta )} \right]$

Note: The Richter scale has a logarithmic character. The logarithm of a number tells the power to which a particular number must be raised to obtain another number. Each next number on the Richter scale represents a tenfold increase in the strength of the earthquake.