Energy release Consider these three events: (1) On May 18, 1980, the volcanic eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington released approximately 1.7 X 1018 joules of energy. (2) When a 1-megaton nuclear bomb detonates, it releases about 4 X 1015 joules of energy. (3) The 1989 San Francisco earthquake registered 7.1 on the Richter scale. (a) Make some comparisons (i.e., how many of one event is equivalent to another) in terms of energy released. (Hint: Refer to Exercise 70 in Chapter 5 Review Ex- ercises.) Note: The atomic bombs dropped in World War II were 1-kiloton bombs (1000 1-kiloton bombs = 1 1-megaton bomb). (b) What reading on the Richter scale would be equivalent to the Mount St. Helens eruption? Has there ever been a reading that high?

Energy release Consider these three events: (1) On May 18, 1980, the volcanic eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington released approximately 1.7 X 1018 joules of energy. (2) When a 1-megaton nuclear bomb detonates, it releases about 4 X 1015 joules of energy. (3) The 1989 San Francisco earthquake registered 7.1 on the Richter scale. (a) Make some comparisons (i.e., how many of one event is equivalent to another) in terms of energy released. (Hint: Refer to Exercise 70 in Chapter 5 Review Ex- ercises.) Note: The atomic bombs dropped in World War II were 1-kiloton bombs (1000 1-kiloton bombs = 1 1-megaton bomb). (b) What reading on the Richter scale would be equivalent to the Mount St. Helens eruption? Has there ever been a reading that high?