Puzzler

[ivyfic]

Here's another brain teaser for you (provided by my brother):

You are standing in a boat in a lake holding a rock. You throw the rock into the lake.

What happens to the level of water in the lake?

Again, assume all basic Physics 101 assumptions (no wind, no current, etc.).

Comments

[shnayder.livejournal.com]

Chuck's right--the level would go down--when the rock is in the boat, it displaces an amount of water that weighs the same, but when it's in the water it sinks and displaces only water equal to its volume. Since rocks are denser than water, it displaces less water after being thrown in.

[ivy03.livejournal.com]

Ding ding ding! And explained much better than when my brother explained it.