What happens to a board placed in water with weights at each end?

When a board is placed in water with weights at each end, the distribution of weight affects how the board floats. The principle at work here is buoyancy, which determines how an object behaves when submerged in a fluid.

When weights are added to both ends of the board, the end that has the weight positioned closest to the center of the board will experience less torque due to the uneven distribution of weight. This results in that end being held lower in the water compared to the other end, which is affected more dramatically by the torque created by the weight furthest from the center. Hence, the end with weight closest to the center will float more because it is less influenced by the tipping moment created by the weight at the opposite end.

This behavior illustrates the balance between gravitational force and buoyant force acting on the board. The portion of the board that is submerged will displace water equal to the weight of the board and added weights, but the point of tilt is where the weight is located in relation to the board's center of mass. Thus, the board will not sink evenly or tilt upwards on both ends as that would not account for the effect of weight distribution properly.