Which ranking best describes the 1964 Alaska earthquake among Earth's most powerful earthquakes?

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Multiple Choice

Which ranking best describes the 1964 Alaska earthquake among Earth's most powerful earthquakes?

Explanation:
Earthquakes are ranked by the energy they release, measured as moment magnitude. The largest recorded quake is the 1960 Valdivia event in Chile, about magnitude 9.5. The 1964 Alaska earthquake released about magnitude 9.2, which places it among the very strongest quakes in history. Because 9.2 is less than 9.5, it isn’t the strongest, but there are other events that reached 9.2 as well, so it sits in the second tier of the rankings. So, describing the 1964 Alaska earthquake as the second-most powerful best captures its place in the global record of earthquake magnitudes.

Earthquakes are ranked by the energy they release, measured as moment magnitude. The largest recorded quake is the 1960 Valdivia event in Chile, about magnitude 9.5. The 1964 Alaska earthquake released about magnitude 9.2, which places it among the very strongest quakes in history. Because 9.2 is less than 9.5, it isn’t the strongest, but there are other events that reached 9.2 as well, so it sits in the second tier of the rankings. So, describing the 1964 Alaska earthquake as the second-most powerful best captures its place in the global record of earthquake magnitudes.

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