Hint to puzzle #21: The Brick, The Boat and The Lake
21. A man is in a rowing boat floating on a lake, in the boat he has a brick. He throws the brick over the side of the boat so as it lands in the water. The brick sinks quickly. The question is, as a result of this does the water level in the lake go up or down?

We need to turn to Archimedes and his eureka moment here. This is physics but I suspect a lot of people understand the principal even if they don't think of it as physics.
When something sinks it necessarily displaces water to its own volume, it simply moves the water out the way raising the water level. But when something floats it displaces water with the same mass it has....
Where next?
Questions Answer
© Nigel Coldwell 2004 - – The questions on this site may be reproduced without further permission, I do not claim copyright over them. The answers are mine and may not be reproduced without my expressed prior consent. Please inquire using the link at the top of the page. Secure version of this page.