Chemistry Bonus Question

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Because I haven't caused enough trouble lately:

The following is an actual question given on a University of Washington chemistry midterm. 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 off when it expands and heats up 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 over 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, let’s 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 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 Conlon 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 #2 cannot be true, and thus I am sure that Hell is exothermic and will not freeze.

The student received the only "A" given.

 

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well how do you cap that one off? I take my off to this guy...bless him

 

Amazing!!
Well I agree n will give him 2 caps, 1 for his spectacular answer & another
4 his awesome brains so its not damaged by ne outside disturbance!!!!!!

 

Nice one Trip, but is your memory going a bit ? Sure we had that one back in the distant past ....:hhhmmm

 

Common Jak, between the marriage battle, work, and the fight he's gonna have on his hand's here when the girls see his past post, he can't be expected to remember everything!!! lol

Nice one trip, perfect for a Friday afternoon slackin for 5 minutes session.

 

It's quite possible that my memory is going but since no one else who responded seems to remember, I think it's ok to repeat it.

 

OK, I'll grant you, it was waaay back, and many new faces have joined in that time.

It still remains a truly fantastic story !!!

 

Did'nt want to say any thing but I posted it way back when, Sorry Trip

 

No worrys mate, I enjoyed reading it again.


Keep em coming