By Ashley Landis
Staff Reporter
San Marcos — Two San Marcos students came out on top in the largest science fair in Central Texas.
Students Nicholas Neighbors and Gus Bates placed first out of 800 entries in the Austin Energy Regional Science Fair.
Neighbors and Bates entered as a team in the physical sciences category with their project entitled, “Magnetodynamics: A Novel, Powerful Rare Earth Magnetic Array Exhibiting An Asymmetric Flux Pattern.”
The purpose of the project was to determine how to create more flux or force on one magnetic pole than another, 12-year-old Neighbors said.
They used a magnetic array model that was designed with 3D software to test the theory and they made a model to collect data and show their conclusions in action.
After testing the theory, they gathered that “a novel, tunable magnetic array which exhibits an asymmetric flux pattern is now realized for further research and industrial use.”
Neighbors said a similar device is used to mix chemicals by placing it under under a container of chemicals.
Then, after adding small magnets in to the container, the chemicals mix in a circular pattern.
Neighbors said they came up with the project while playing with magnets and worked on it twice a week for about two months before the competition.
Neighbors entered as a home-school student and Bates attends the The Master’s School of San Marcos.
Both will compete in the State of Texas Science Fair April 9-12.
