The atmosphere is considered to be the mass of air that surrounds the earth; it is the air in a particular place or area. (Merriam Webster) The biosphere is the global sum of all ecosystems. The biosphere includes all living organisms on earth, together with the dead organic matter produced by them. (Eoearth) A tornado is one of the many atmospheric events that can affect the earth’s biosphere. Tornadoes originate from thunderstorms. In order for a tornado to be created the earth’s atmosphere uses cool, dry air from Canada and warm, moist air from the region of the Gulf of Mexico. When these two air masses meet, they create instability in the atmosphere. The area of Oklahoma was an area where the meeting of this air mass often occurs. Where there is a change in wind direction along with an increase in wind speed and with increasing height, this creates an invisible, horizontal spinning effect in the lower atmosphere also known as a tornado. The rising air within the updraft tilts the rotating air from horizontal to vertical. (Whether wiz) The updraft and increasing winds created by the atmosphere caused this tornado to form in Moore, Oklahoma. This is an example of how our atmosphere can impact our biosphere. The tornado hit the city of Moore, Oklahoma on the afternoon of May 20, 2013, injuring approximately 237 people and killing over thirty. Seven of the dead were children from the Plaza Towers Elementary School, which was flattened by the storm. Plaza Towers was one of two elementary schools which were in the path of the storm. The tornado was estimated to be 1.3 miles wide, with an estimated peak wind of 200 to 210 mph. This intensely powerful tornado was an "EF5"; the most powerful category of tornado. (CNN). With winds produced by the atmosphere as high as 200 miles per hour you can imagine how the earth’s biosphere was affected. The tornado was in contact with the ground for about 50 minutes and traveled about 17 miles