Team Number: 88
Team Number: 88
School Name: Silver High School
Area of Science: Microbiology
Project Title: A Simulation of the Plausible Harmful Widespread Effects of the Airborne Smallpox Virus in Humans as Related to Bioterrorism or Biological Warfare
Title: A Simulation of the Plausible Harmful and Widespread Effects of
the Airborne Smallpox Virus in Humans as Related to Bioterrorism or
Biological Warfare
Area of Science: Microbiology
Problem: We intend on creating a program to project the effects of an
airborne virus used as a biological weapon against a group of humans.
Procedure; plan of action; methods: First we will create a simulated
environment using a program. We will simulate the introduction of the
virus smallpox into a public airport via several human bodies infected
with the disease. The airport and amount of people present will be
comparable to an average airport in a large American city. We will then
estimate the spread of the epidemic and effectiveness of the virus as a
weapon by determining how many people will be exposed to the disease over
a fixed period of time.
Mathematical Modeling: Our problem will be illustrated mathematically in
a computer program using exponential differentiation; that is, an increase
in the amount of people affected with smallpox over a fixed period of
time.
Results hoped for: We will determine how destructive the disease of
smallpox (Variola major) may be on a population; that is, we will use a
program to simulate how many lives would be touched and/or destroyed if
this disease is introduced to a group of people. We will also estimate
the amount of time it will take for the virus to mutate so that it
develops immunity to available vaccines.
Team Members
Sponsoring Teacher(s)