When an earthquake hits, people often hear a single number reported in the news, which describes the earthquake's magnitude. Yet that number doesn’t always explain what the shaking actually felt like from one neighborhood to the next.
Some people may barely notice the movement, while others may see their furniture shift and windows break. But the Mercalli Scale (technically called the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale) offers another way to understand earthquakes.
So, how does it work? Click on to find out.