The stain energy released during an earthquake travels as seismic waves in all

directions through the earth's layer, reflecting and refracting at each interface.
These vibrations are more intense nearer the center of disturbance and these
become feeble and ultimately die out, as the distance increased. Generally a
common problem occur merging magnitude with intensity.
Magnitude:
Magnitude is a quantitative measure of the actual size of the earthquake. Based on
maximum displacement, magnitude is determined and through magnitude energy
released can be computed.

Intensity :
Intensity is a qualitative measure of the actual shaking at a location during an
earthquake. Intensity is determined from three features of shaking 1) perception by people and animal
2) performance of building
3) changes to natural surrounding.

Basic Difference
Magnitude defines size of a earthquake. As example, the size of an earthquake can
be measured by the amount of strain energy released by the fault rupture. On the
other hand, intensity is an indicator of the severity of shaking generated at given
location. There is no doubt that the severity of shaking is much higher near
epicenter than farther away.
This means that the magnitude of the earthquake is a single value for a given
earthquake but different locations experience different degree of intensity for same
quake. The stain energy released during an earthquake travels as seismic waves in
all directions through the earth's layer, reflecting and refracting at each interface.
These vibrations are more intense nearer the center of disturbance and these
become feeble and ultimately die out, as the distance increased. Generally a
common problem occur merging magnitude with intensity.
Magnitude:

Magnitude is a quantitative measure of the actual size of the earthquake. Based on

maximum displacement, magnitude is determined and through magnitude energy
released can be computed.

Intensity :
Intensity is a qualitative measure of the actual shaking at a location during an
earthquake. Intensity is determined from three features of shaking 1) perception by people and animal
2) performance of building
3) changes to natural surrounding.

Basic Difference
Magnitude defines size of a earthquake. As example, the size of an earthquake can
be measured by the amount of strain energy released by the fault rupture. On the
other hand, intensity is an indicator of the severity of shaking generated at given
location. There is no doubt that the severity of shaking is much higher near
epicenter than farther away.
This means that the magnitude of the earthquake is a single value for a given
earthquake but different locations experience different degree of intensity for same
quake.