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We say:
What is there in the box?
There is a watch in the box.
Can we also say:
What is it in the box?
It's a watch in the box.
I think they don't have the same meaning, but does the latter sound grammatical?
To me, it more sounds like you've seen the thing in the box and say it to mean "What is that thing in the box?"
What's in the box?
Tell me what, if anything, is inside the box.What is it in the box?
That thing in the box -- tell me what it is.
The speaker of the latter may be a smidgen more confident that there's something in the box, that it isn't an empty box.
You missed the most obvious one: What is in the box? Or, if you are pointing to an item in an open box, then: What's that thing in the box?
As for your comment under Peter's answer, which asks:
So do "What's in the box?" and "What is it in the box?" have exactly the same meaning?
The don't really mean anything different; they are both valid, grammatical ways to inquire about the contents of a box. But they might be used in different situations (or contexts).
For example, If I can't see what's in the box, I'm more likely to ask: "What's in the box?" On the other hand, if I can see what's in the box but I can't recognize what it is, then I might as, "What's that thing in the box?" (or, if I'm pointing at it, I there's a good chance I won't mention the box at all: "What is that thing?")
What's in the box?
What are those things in the box?
What kind of animal in the box?
(or, maybe, if can tell it's a cat: Why is that cat in my box?)
What is it in the box?
What is it (that you have) in the box?
What is it there in the box.
Is perfectly acceptable and understandable that your asking about the contents of the box.
A native speaker would simply say:
What's in the box?
I think, it differs on what and why are you asking:
What is there in the box?
It is just neutral question targeted at the box. It could continue such way:
There is a cheese and bread and some vegetables
And what is there on the table?
There are apples and grapes and other fruits
Good, put everything from table to the box too and we can go
(See, these questions are about what is where, directed at places and these answers are not very specific about those items there.)
On the other hand the next question is not about box but about the particular one thing inside it
What is it in the box?
Those are my socks
Why, in the hell, are your stupid and disgusting socks in my pretty box? How many times I told you to put them somewhere else?
I am so sorry ...
And the short version is even less specific
What's in the box?
Nothing much, just some garbage
So put it there in the corner and bring another one from the car
(and both "box" and "garbage" are forgotten in the same moment)
