The Richter scale measures the magnitude of earthquakes. Developed in 1935 by Charles F. Richter, this logarithmic scale quantifies seismic activity by assessing the amplitude of seismic waves produced by an earthquake. Each whole number increase on the Richter scale corresponds to a tenfold increase in measured amplitude and approximately 31.6 times more energy release. Although the Richter scale has been largely replaced by the moment magnitude scale (Mw) for more substantial earthquakes, it remains widely recognized and is crucial for understanding the relative strength and impact of seismic events on infrastructure and communities.