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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Oxley, Brisbane
    Age
    79
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    537

    Default hexbaz's using 'exothermic' reminded me of this

    Mapping the Heat Source of Hell...

    The following is an actual extra credit question given on a University of Washington chemistry mid term. The answer was so profound that the professor shared it with colleagues, which is 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 off when it expands and heats up when it is compressed) or some variant. One male 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 that souls are moving into Hell and the rate 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, lets look at the different religions that exist in the world today. Some of these religions state that if you are not a member of their religion, you will go to Hell.

    Since there are 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 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. Of course, 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 Ms. Teresa Banyan 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 still have not succeeded in having sexual relations with her, then, it cannot be true, and thus I am sure that Hell is exothermic and will not freeze.

    The student received the only "A" given.
    Bob Willson
    The term 'grammar nazi' was invented to make people, who don't know their grammar, feel OK about being uneducated.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    here
    Posts
    67

    Default

    thanks for the laugh Bob
    Some People are like slinky's,
    They serve no purpose at all,
    but they put a smile on your face when you throw them down the stairs.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    UK
    Age
    71
    Posts
    116

    Default

    Excellent!

    Unfortunately, it is an urban legend though ... See Snopes.
    Last edited by hexbaz; 13th August 2004 at 07:15 PM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    melbourne
    Age
    68
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    0

    Default

    Very good Hexbaz I have seen a differnt version to Bobs and was wondering.

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