Earthquake Energy Calculator
Example: M7.0 = 2 million tonnes TNT
How much energy does an earthquake release? The Richter magnitude scale is logarithmic, with each whole-number increase representing about 31.6 times more energy. This calculator uses the Gutenberg-Richter relation to convert magnitude into joules and TNT equivalents.
Energy vs the magnitude scale
TNT Equivalent
Energy in tonnes of TNT
Hiroshima Bombs
Equivalent nuclear weapons
Comparison
How We Calculate This
Energy in Joules: E = 10^(1.5M + 4.8) (Gutenberg-Richter). TNT conversion: 1 tonne TNT = 4.184×10⁹ J. Hiroshima: ~15 kt TNT = 6.3×10¹³ J.
Methodology last reviewed: May 2026. How SparkCalc works
Sources: USGS: Earthquake Magnitude, Energy Release, and Shaking Intensity · USGS: Moment Magnitude, Richter Scale: The Different Magnitude Scales · USGS: Earthquake Magnitude Types
Frequently Asked Questions
How is earthquake energy calculated?
Using the Gutenberg-Richter relation: log₁₀(E) = 1.5M + 4.8, where E is energy in Joules and M is magnitude. Each magnitude increase multiplies energy by about 31.6.
Why use TNT as a comparison?
TNT is a standard unit for measuring explosive energy. One tonne of TNT releases 4.184 gigajoules. It provides an intuitive comparison for the immense energy in earthquakes.
What's the Hiroshima comparison?
The Hiroshima atomic bomb released about 15 kilotonnes (kt) of TNT equivalent energy. Large earthquakes can release hundreds or thousands of times more energy.
What's the largest earthquake ever recorded?
The 1960 Chile earthquake at magnitude 9.5 - equivalent to about 178 billion tonnes of TNT or nearly 12 million Hiroshima bombs.
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