Carl-Richard

Here's a riddle:

63 posts in this topic

Let's say we have a normal-sized cup with some liquid water in it (it's about half-full). 

\=/

Then we turn it upside down:

/=\

(Force of gravity always points this way:↓)

How would you prevent the liquid water from exiting the cup?

 

Here are some rules:

1. You can't move or tilt the cup.

2. You can't change the shape or the material of the cup.

3. You can't use anything else than the cup itself.

4. The liquid has to be water at room temperature and you can't change the amount of liquid (constant volume).

5. The cup has to be stationary (not accelerating).

6. You can't change the laws of nature (gravity and physical forces apply). 

7. The rules only apply after the cup has been turned upside down.

 

If nobody gets it, I will start giving out hints.

Good luck! :)


Intrinsic joy is revealed in the marriage of meaning and being.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
5 minutes ago, Carl-Richard said:

Then we turn it upside down:

 

1. You can't move or tilt the cup.

how can we turn it upside down if we cant tilt it?


Dont look at me! Look inside!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Just now, Rilles said:

how can we turn it upside down if we cant tilt it?

Lol the rules only apply after it has been turned upside down ?


Intrinsic joy is revealed in the marriage of meaning and being.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
2 minutes ago, Carl-Richard said:

Lol the rules only apply after it has been turned upside down ?

Okay. I will ponder this riddle. ;) 


Dont look at me! Look inside!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If it's a very small cup that is no larger than a drop/few drops of water, the water will hold itself inside the cup due to surface tension. 

Edit: And it depends on the shape of the cup, if it's rather shaped like a tube, we can add a lot more water than just a few drops

Correct answer??

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Drink the water using a straw 

 

Maybe hold the cup in its place, remove the table and put it on top. Then turn your head upside down and it makes its we have the cup in the desired orientation (I think)

 

Or, I guess if we are thinking about non duality then literally what is the difference between upside and non upside 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

We used to do this in high school.

If covering is allowed then by covering it and making it airtight before turning it upside down on a smooth surface, and then simply slide the covering material (paper, sheet or plastic) out. 

Edited by captainamerica

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Guess 1: The cup has a lid so you just turn it upside down. Voila!


Dont look at me! Look inside!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 minute ago, Dryas said:

Maybe hold the cup in its place, remove the table and put it on top. Then turn your head upside down and it makes its we have the cup in the desired orientation (I think)

1 minute ago, captainamerica said:

If covering is allowed then by covering it and making it airtight before turning it upside down on a smooth surface, and then simply slide the covering material (paper, sheet, plastic) out. 

goes against the 3rd rule tho, you're only allowed to use the cup itself

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
5 minutes ago, Tim R said:

If it's a very small cup that is no larger than a drop/few drops of water, the water will hold itself inside the cup due to surface tension. 

Correct answer??

Oof I just added another caveat about that ?:

22 minutes ago, Carl-Richard said:

Let's say we have a cup with some liquid water in it (it's about half-full). 

 

 

Here are some rules:

1. You can't move or tilt the cup.

2. You can't change the shape or the material of the cup.

3. You can't use anything else than the cup itself.

4. The liquid has to be water at room temperature and you can't change the amount of liquid (constant volume).

5. The cup has to be stationary (not accelerating).

6. You can't change the laws of nature (gravity and physical forces apply).

I forgot to add that we start with a normal size cup. I'll keep the rules constant now dw.


Intrinsic joy is revealed in the marriage of meaning and being.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
2 minutes ago, Carl-Richard said:

Oof I just added another caveat about that ?:

Nooo?? so it's an ordinary cup? Not made from any special material? No weird shape or anything?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
2 minutes ago, Tim R said:

 

4 minutes ago, Dryas said:

Maybe hold the cup in its place, remove the table and put it on top. Then turn your head upside down and it makes its we have the cup in the desired orientation (I think)

4 minutes ago, captainamerica said:

If covering is allowed then by covering it and making it airtight before turning it upside down on a smooth surface, and then simply slide the covering material (paper, sheet, plastic) out. 

goes against the 3rd rule tho, you're only allowed to use

 

I’m not though. The cup must be resting on something like a table.. well it could be the floor in which case this doesn’t work. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
5 minutes ago, Tim R said:

goes against the 3rd rule tho, you're only allowed to use the cup itself

 

Yeah.

16 minutes ago, Carl-Richard said:

Lol the rules only apply after it has been turned upside down ?

@Carl-Richard what do you mean? 

You can accelerate or use another material before flipping it upside down?

Edited by captainamerica

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
3 minutes ago, Tim R said:

Nooo?? so it's an ordinary cup? Not made from any special material? No weird shape or anything?

The cup looks like the schematic version. We start with an ordinary, life-sized cup.


Intrinsic joy is revealed in the marriage of meaning and being.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Oh I think I know how. The key is the notion of:

25 minutes ago, Carl-Richard said:

Then we turn it upside down:

"Upside down" is a completely relative notion. If we are standing on the north pole we just travel with the cup to the south pole and voila, we've "turned it upside down"? This has gotta be it, otherwise I resign

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Just now, Tim R said:

Oh I think I know how. The key is the notion of:

"Upside down" is a completely relative notion. If we are standing on the north pole we just travel with the cup to the south pole and voila, we've "turned it upside down"? This has gotta be it, otherwise I resign

Or just stand on your head! Bam!


Dont look at me! Look inside!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 minute ago, Tim R said:

Oh I think I know how. The key is the notion of:

"Upside down" is a completely relative notion. If we are standing on the north pole we just travel with the cup to the south pole and voila, we've "turned it upside down"? This has gotta be it, otherwise I resign

Omg ?. Nope, travelling means moving the cup.


Intrinsic joy is revealed in the marriage of meaning and being.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
3 minutes ago, Rilles said:

Or just stand on your head! Bam!

I should clarify that the force of gravity always points "down" as to make the liquid experience free fall.


Intrinsic joy is revealed in the marriage of meaning and being.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

never move it gg. ooo nvm i assumed it was upside down on a table

Edited by Jacob Morres

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!


Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.


Sign In Now