Which Glass Contains the Most Water? This Simple Puzzle Is Trickier Than It Looks
At first glance, this looks like an incredibly easy question.
Four identical glasses are filled with water, and each one contains a different object. The water appears to be at roughly the same level in every glass.
But there is a catch.
Which glass actually contains the most water?
Before reading the answer, take a moment to look carefully at the objects inside the glasses and make your choice.
Look at What Is Inside Each Glass
The four glasses contain different objects:
- Glass A: A paper clip
- Glass B: A baseball
- Glass C: An eraser
- Glass D: A wristwatch
Because the water levels look similar, many people assume that all four glasses must contain approximately the same amount of water.
That’s where the puzzle becomes interesting.
The Key Is Water Displacement
The answer depends on a simple scientific principle: an object placed in water takes up space and displaces some of the water.
The larger the object, the more space it occupies.
That means a glass containing a baseball has less room available for water than a glass containing a tiny paper clip, assuming the glasses and water levels are otherwise comparable.
