Cheerios
Science brain teasers require understanding of the physical or biological world and the laws that govern it.
Aliens miniaturize you and place you on a fresh Cheerio floating on milk. You are a few millimeters away from another Cheerio. They give you the option of taking them up on a challenge: "We will give you $1 million if your Cheerio does not touch the other Cheerio; otherwise we will remove your hand." Do you accept the challenge?
Answer
Do not take the risk. Milk rises between two nearby Cheerios by capillary action. The surface tension of the milk has a horizontal component that will pull your Cheerio to the other one like an irresistible magnet (try the experiment in the safety of your own cereal bowl.)
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Comments
MJ_fan 
Sep 21, 2002
| you should ask people to explain thier answer, otherwise they have a fifty percent chance of getting it right. |
BigSurf18
Sep 23, 2002
| Thats very interest, keep up the good teasers!!! |
(user deleted)
Oct 02, 2002
| Missing here is a time limit. The Cheerios will take time to get attracted.
Also, I would just dive in and position myself between Cheerios. |
helives247
Oct 05, 2002
| You screwed either way what are you going to do with a million dollars if our only a mm or so tall? |
clawV
Nov 08, 2002
| Well I like the home science and entertainment section |
electronjohn 
Nov 08, 2002
| I wonder if the cheerios will actually touch or will there be a very small film of milk between them after being pulled together? |
twinstee
Nov 08, 2002
| Wow that one was really good..if i am ever caught in that situation ill know what to say  ...once again a good one |
speedyg1000
Nov 17, 2002
| i guessed no because i fuigured there had to be some trick to it but i never could've guessed exactly
bravo |
the_smart_one
Nov 24, 2002
| that was quite interesting
|
gooblah
Feb 25, 2003
| Good teaser, kool lesson, but say I could eat alot of food really fast, could I eat my way out? |
dieblondboff
Nov 08, 2003
| But if he was tiny anyway, what would he do with $1? |
howdyall1311
Nov 08, 2003
| Good reasoning with this teaser. |
Poker
Aug 10, 2004
| My question is, "Do you get a choice?"
Otherwise, good one! |
SNKB
Nov 14, 2004
| CANT YOU GUYS COME UP WITH SOMETHING BETTER. |
Mad-Ade 
Nov 14, 2004
| Can You?
|
I_am_the_Omega
Nov 14, 2004
| Lol... that's exactly what came to mind (they'd be pulled together), but I was thinking you must have been thinking of some way to keep em apart! I guess I kinda got it right.. |
passion
Nov 14, 2004
| good one, but i think that some ppl might just answer a yes or no answer, cuz you didn't really specify whether you should explain. but i liked it, thx for the lesson!!!! |
SPUTNIK2
Mar 28, 2006
| Fun! Fun! Fun! |
Smudge 
Oct 13, 2006
| I thought the answer should be 'yes'.
two possible outcomes:
1. the cheerios DON'T touch, and you get $1,000,000.
2. the cheerios DO touch, and you have the opportunity to jump from one cheerio to the next and escape
....or something... |
Smudge
Oct 13, 2006
| ^ that was assuming that the aliens are also only a few millimeters big.
if not, then you're screwed |
Zag24
Jan 19, 2009
| I didn't want the million dollars so much as I wanted to be restored to normal size. Also, I'll take one of those miniaturization machines -- that would be pretty fun (and valuable!)
Meanwhile, I'll hang off the side of the cheerio and keep them apart with my legs. (I wouldn't accept the bet, though, until specifying a reasonable time limit.) |
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