🧩 The Volume Displacement Puzzle: Which Glass Holds the Most Water?
💡 The Correct Answer: Glass B
Glass B contains the most actual water.
🔬 The Science: Why Glass B is the Winner
To find the correct answer, you have to look at the puzzle in reverse. Instead of asking which object is the largest, you need to find which object takes up the least amount of space (has the smallest volume).
When you drop an object into a full glass of water, that object must push aside an amount of water equal to its own physical size to fit inside the glass.
$$\text{Total Capacity of Glass} = \text{Volume of Water} + \text{Volume of Submerged Object}$$
Because the water level in all four glasses is perfectly equal, the glass holding the smallest, thinnest object requires the least amount of water displacement.
Largest Object (Scissors) ──► Displaces maximum water ──► Least water remaining in glass
Smallest Object (Paperclip) ──► Displaces minimum water ──► Most water remaining in glass
- The Paperclip (B): Made of thin wire, it has the smallest physical volume of all four items. Because it takes up almost no space, almost the entire glass is filled with actual water.
- The Scissors (A) & Spoon (D): These are large, heavy, dense metallic items. They displace a massive amount of liquid, meaning these glasses contain significantly less actual water.
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