The Richter scale measures the largest wiggle (amplitude) on the recording, but other magnitude scales measure different parts of the earthquake. ... Intensity is a measure of the shaking and damage caused by the earthquake; this value changes from location to location.
There are two primary scales used to measure earthquakes: the Richter scale and the Mercalli scale. The Richter scale is most common in the United States, while worldwide, scientists rely on the Mercalli scale.
