DuckFoot on tue 7 dec 04
Given that we all deal with heat at various degrees I thought this might
provide some understanding for those who have difficulties with the
terms exothermic and endothermic.
And besides, I laughed my butt off. Who says the UW isn't a great place
to study?
> The following is supposedly an actual question given on a University of
> Washington chemistry mid-term. The answer by one student was so "profound"
> that the professor shared it with colleagues, via the Internet, which is,
> of course, why we now have the pleasure of enjoying it as well.
>
>
> *****************************************
>
>
> Bonus Question:
>
>
> Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)?
>
>
> Most of the students wrote proofs of their beliefs using Boyle's Law (gas
> cools when it expands and heats when it is compressed)or some variant.
>
>
> One student, however, wrote the following:
>
>
> First, we need to know how the mass of Hell is changing in time. So we need
> to know the rate at which souls are moving into Hell and the rate at which
> they are leaving. I think that we can safely assume that once a soul gets
> to Hell, it will not leave. Therefore, no souls are leaving.
>
>
> As for how many souls are entering Hell, let's look at the different
> religions that exist in the world today. Most of these religions state that
> if you are not a member of their religion, you will go to Hell. Since there
> is more than one of these religions and since people do not belong to more
> than one religion, we can project that all souls go to Hell.
>
>
> With birth and death rates as they are, we can expect the number of souls
> in Hell to increase exponentially. Now, we look at the rate of change of
> the volume in Hell because Boyle's Law states that in order for the
> temperature and pressure in Hell to stay the same, the volume of
>
>
> Hell has to expand proportionately as souls are added. This gives two
> possibilities:
>
>
> 1. If Hell is expanding at a slower rate than the rate at which souls enter
> Hell, then the temperature and pressure in Hell will increase until all
> Hell breaks loose.
>
>
> 2. If Hell is expanding at a rate faster than the increase of souls in
> Hell, then the temperature and pressure will drop until Hell freezes over.
> So which is it?
>
>
> If we accept the postulate given to me by Teresa during my Freshman year
> that, " it will be a cold day in Hell before I sleep with you, and take
> into account the fact that I slept with her last night, then number 2 must
> be true, and thus I am sure that Hell is exothermic and has already frozen
> over.
>
>
> The corollary of this theory is that since Hell has frozen over, it follows
> that it is not accepting any more souls and is therefore, extinct...leaving
> only Heaven thereby proving the existence of a divine being which explains
> why last night, Teresa kept shouting "Oh my God."
>
>
> THIS STUDENT RECEIVED THE ONLY "A"
--
Earl K...
Bothell WA, USA
"You may be disappointed if you fail,
but you are doomed if you don't try."
Beverly Sills (1929 - )
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