What does a Richter scale reading of 1 signify?

A Richter scale reading of 1 indicates a minor earthquake. The Richter scale is a logarithmic scale used to measure the magnitude of earthquakes. Each whole number increase on the scale represents a tenfold increase in measured amplitude and roughly 31.6 times more energy release.

Earthquakes that register below 2.5 on the Richter scale are generally considered micro earthquakes and are usually not felt by people. A reading of 1 signifies that the quake is very minor and would likely be only detected by seismographs rather than felt physically by individuals. Therefore, a reading of 1 accurately reflects a minor earthquake, which is comparable to a low-level tremor that poses no significant risk to structures or populations.

Higher readings on the scale would indicate increasing severity and impact. For instance, a moderate earthquake typically falls between readings of 5.0 to 5.9, while strong earthquakes begin around 6.0, and major earthquakes start at around 7.0. Thus, a Richter scale reading of 1 clearly categorizes the earthquake as minor.