There is a rectangular tin 2cm by 3cm at the base, 2cm deep and open at the top.
It is filled with water to a depth of .4cm.
Twelve 1cm steel cubes are placed in the tin one by one. The first six form a single layer at the bottom. The next six form a second layer.

To what height does the water level rise after the placement of each cube?
Assume the cubes fit together tightly, leaving no spaces.

(In reply to re: Solution by dominique)

And if you are concerned with the physics, consider that water has a surface tension that may allow it to rise above the rim of the tin and without actually losing the complete overflow. 

But this isn't really a physics problem, therefore I am not concerned with water pressure, expansion and contracton of metals, molecular bonding or lunar tides, etc. Yet, as we are dealing with volume and shapes, I do, therefore, concur there is a difficulty of adding the sixth cube, and hence the eleventh and twelfth cubes, to the tin due to water can not be displaced if it has no exit.

Posted by Dej Mar on 2006-05-17 11:43:12