What was the primary limitation of Zhang Heng's seismoscope compared to modern seismographs?
Answer
It could not create a graphical record of the motion
While the seismoscope was a highly effective mechanical alarm that could identify the direction of a distant tremor, it lacked the ability to produce a lasting, visual, or quantitative record of the shaking. Modern instruments, such as the Wiechert seismograph, evolved to include features like a pen on a rotating drum, which generates a seismogram to document wave amplitudes and arrival times for scientific analysis, a function the ancient device did not possess.
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