Moment magnitude scale of formula_33 are the same for all earthquakes, one can consider as a measure of the potential energy change Δ"W" caused by earthquakes. Similarly, if one assumes formula_34 is the same for all earthquakes, one can consider as a measure of the energy "E" radiated by earthquakes. Under these assumptions, the following formula, obtained by solving for the equation defining , allows one to assess the ratio formula_35 of energy release (potential or radiated) between two earthquakes of different moment magnitudes, formula_36 and formula_37: As with the Richter scale, an increase of one step on the logarithmic scale of moment
Orders of magnitude (power) Orders of magnitude (power) This page lists examples of the power in watts produced by various sources of energy. They are grouped by orders of magnitude. The productive capacity of electrical generators operated by utility companies is often measured in MW. Few things can sustain the transfer or consumption of energy on this scale; some of these events or entities include: lightning strikes, naval craft (such as aircraft carriers and submarines), engineering hardware, and some scientific research equipment (such as supercolliders and large lasers). For reference, about 10,000 100-watt lightbulbs or 5,000 computer systems would be needed to draw 1