D855 Natural Hazards examines the processes that govern Earth's natural systems and the hazards they produce. WGU describes how the geosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere interact to create events such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, floods and tsunamis.
The course stresses two directions of influence: how hazards form, and how human activity changes their frequency and impact. Students often do well on description but lose points when asked to connect cause, process and human consequence in a single explanation.
Course at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| University | Western Governors University (WGU) |
| Course code | D855 |
| Level | Undergraduate, science content |
| Subject area | Earth systems and natural hazards |
| Program context | Secondary science education, Earth science (confirm in your degree plan) |
| Assessment | Set by WGU on your course page; check it before you plan |
What D855 Covers
| Theme | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Plate tectonics and lithospheric hazards | Why earthquakes and eruptions cluster at plate boundaries |
| Atmospheric hazards | How hurricanes, tornadoes and floods form |
| Hydrospheric hazards | Tsunamis and flooding, and how water moves energy |
| Human influence | How land use and climate change alter frequency and intensity |
| Hazard and behavior | How events shape human decisions and preparedness |
Key Concepts Explained
Boundaries and Hazards
Different plate boundaries produce different hazards. Convergent boundaries, where plates collide or one sinks beneath another, bring the largest earthquakes and explosive volcanoes. Divergent boundaries bring milder quakes and effusive eruptions. Transform boundaries bring strike-slip earthquakes with little volcanic activity.
Example: Explain why a subduction zone can cause a tsunami. A megathrust earthquake lifts or drops the sea floor suddenly, displacing a large column of water. That energy travels across the ocean as long waves that grow taller in shallow water near the coast.
Hazard, Exposure and Vulnerability
A hazard becomes a disaster when people and property are exposed and vulnerable. Two cities facing the same earthquake can suffer very different losses because of building standards, warning systems and preparation.
Energy Sources for Storms
Hurricanes draw energy from warm ocean water and weaken over land or cold water. That is why forecasts track sea surface temperature and why the same storm can lose strength after landfall.
Example: Describe how paved surfaces raise flood risk. Rain cannot soak in, so runoff reaches streams faster and peaks higher. State cause, mechanism and consequence in that order.
Typical Assignments and How to Approach Them
WGU's guidebook does not list task prompts, so the table describes kinds of work this content points to. Follow your own instructions.
| Work type | What it tests | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|
| Hazard formation explanation | Process understanding | Cause, mechanism, result, with a diagram |
| Risk analysis of a location | Exposure and vulnerability | Identify hazards, then mitigation options |
| Human influence discussion | Links between people and hazards | Give a specific example and evidence |
| Teaching-focused task | Explaining to students | Pick a grade level and a local hazard |
A Study Approach That Works
- Map the plates. Learn the boundary types and one example of each.
- Link each hazard to a mechanism. Write a three-line chain for every hazard.
- Add human factors. For each hazard, note one way people raise or lower risk.
- Practice comparison. Compare two locations facing the same hazard.
Where Students Get Stuck
- Listing events without mechanisms. Naming a hazard is not explaining it.
- Blaming people or nature alone. The course examines both directions of influence.
- Confusing magnitude and intensity. Magnitude measures energy released; intensity measures effects at a place.
- Weak mitigation ideas. Name the specific action, such as building codes or early warning, and what it changes.
Planning Table
| Stage | Goal | Evidence to keep |
|---|---|---|
| Read the task | List hazards and requirements | Rubric checklist |
| Mechanism | Explain how each forms | Chain diagrams |
| Human link | Add exposure and vulnerability | Short notes |
| Mitigation | Propose and justify actions | Option table |
| Review | Check every rubric line | Tick list |
Self-Check Questions
Rehearse with these questions, answering in cause, mechanism and consequence order.
- Why do the largest earthquakes occur at subduction zones?
- How does a hurricane form, and why does it weaken over land?
- What makes the same earthquake far more destructive in one city than another?
- Give one way human land use increases flood risk and one way it can reduce it.
- How do magnitude and intensity differ?
Study Tips for D855
- Learn one real example for each hazard type.
- Write cause, mechanism and consequence for every explanation.
- Use labeled maps and cross-sections.
- Separate hazard, exposure and vulnerability in your wording.
- Practice explaining each hazard in plain language.
How We Help with D855
Send the task instructions, rubric, readings and any feedback. A tutor can explain hazard mechanisms with fresh examples, review how you link cause and consequence, edit your draft for clarity, or prepare a model risk analysis on a different location for you to study.
GradeEssays is independent of Western Governors University. Our work is a study and reference aid: use it to understand the method, then complete and submit your own work under WGU's academic integrity policy.
Orders are written from scratch, include free revisions within the scope of your original request, and are refunded in full if late. We cannot promise that any assessment will be passed.
Get Your D855 Explanations Clear
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Frequently Asked Questions
WGU describes earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, floods, tsunamis and tornadoes, with plate tectonics for lithospheric hazards and the link between hazards and human activity.
WGU's description does not mention a lab. Check your course page for the assessment format.
Give a specific example, such as land use changing flood behavior, and explain the mechanism.
A hazard is the natural process. A disaster occurs when exposed, vulnerable people and property suffer harm.
No. We support learning through tutoring, custom answers and editing. You complete and submit your own work.
On your D855 course page and with your instructor. WGU sets the assessment.