Conundrum

[Sybarite]

I am on my boat floating around in a small and contained lake.

I decide to anchor and the anchor (plus chain) goes over the side with the anchor resting fully on the bottom of the lake.

What, if anything, happens to the depth of water in the lake?

The boat level will fall by the difference between the volume of water and chain resting on the bottom compared with an equivalent volume of water; the ratio of the difference being related to the specific density of the metal in the anchor...or something like that...

 

[AndrewB]

The level will go down (not a lot!). The boat displacement will decrease by the weight of anchor and chain. This will only be partially offset by the volume of the anchor & chain which will be less.

+1

But why are we limiting this to lakes? Won't the same be true of the Pacific Ocean? So ... if the tide seems to have gone out a long way, pull up your anchor! (Won't help you float off, though

).

 

[martyn78]

+1

But why are we limiting this to lakes? Won't the same be true of the Pacific Ocean? So ... if the tide seems to have gone out a long way, pull up your anchor! (Won't help you float off, though

).

Maybe not - but at least you will feel like you did something!