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GATE 2021 AE – Question 37

Aerodynamics · Basic fluid mechanics: kinematics, conservation laws, dimensional analysis, incompressibility and Newtonian fluids · 2 marks · Multiple choice

Three floating ice blocks contain (i) pure ice, (ii) a steel ball, (iii) an air bubble. After complete melting, the respective water-level changes are

source diagram and its labels are reproduced in the attached image.
  1. same, increase, decrease
  2. increase, decrease, increase
  3. same, decrease, decrease
  4. same, decrease, increase

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Correct answer: (C) same, decrease, decrease

Explanation

Pure ice displaces its own meltwater volume. A floating ice/steel system initially displaces the steel weight divided by water density; sunk steel displaces less. Escaping trapped air removes its small weight contribution.

Official GATE 2021 answer key: https://gate2026.iitg.ac.in/doc/download/Answer_keys2021/ae_2021.pdf