NoPistons -Mazda Rx7 & Rx8 Rotary Forum

The following is an actual question given on a University of

Washington chemistry mid term exam. The answer given 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 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 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) 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 postulation given to me by Karen during my Freshman year, "

... that it will be a cold day in Hell before I sleep with you.", and taking

into account the

fact that I still have not succeeded in having 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