What the Hell?

[j2k4]

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”

[clocker]

That's a goodun, j2.
Actually rates the rarely given " ".

[j2k4]

That's a goodun, j2.
Actually rates the rarely given " ".

Yeah.

You're probably the only one who got past the first sentence, given the subject.

It is good, though...

[manker]

You're probably the only one who got past the first sentence, given the subject.

I quite agree. For a different reason, however.

The content of the post is as old as the hills.

[j2k4]

You're probably the only one who got past the first sentence, given the subject.

I quite agree. For a different reason, however.

The content of the post is as old as the hills.

Not funny, huh?

'Course, you watch American telly, so what do you know about quality?

[manker]

I quite agree. For a different reason, however.

The content of the post is as old as the hills.

Not funny, huh?

'Course, you watch American telly, so what do you know about quality?

Your concern is unwarranted - my American TV consumption is easily tempered with my daily Beeb

I found the piece very funny indeed, a science teacher of mine told me while I was in school. I'm not sure whether she deliberately misled us but at the time, I thought this had happened some years previously in her class.

I've stumbled upon it a few times since so, erm, obviously not.

[maebach]

that's really good. great find

[Skiz]

I quite agree. For a different reason, however.

The content of the post is as old as the hills.

Not funny, huh?

'Course, you watch American telly, so what do you know about quality?

No, it's funny. The context is just something that has been posted on multiple occasions, possibly by me once. However, I still enjoy being reminded that such a witty peice of work still exists.

...now back to the telly.

[orcutt989]

How flippin creative. Go America!