Snuffy22 Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 The following is 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 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 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, 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 yields 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 continue to increase until all Hell breaks loose. 2) If the volume of Hell is expanding at a rate faster than the increase of the volume 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 Bayman 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 an affair with her, then #2 above cannot be true, and thus I am sure that Hell is exothermic and will not freeze over." THIS STUDENT RECEIVED THE ONLY A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spidoinkel Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 seen this before but everytime i do it changes slightly and new things are added/changed such as the girls name, the grammer and the award he received. not sure if this is legit anymore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiagosilva29 Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 Thermodynamics sucked. :no: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chode Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 Ahh, the good old urban legend. P.S., I'd say hell is cold. My friend once suggested to me that evil is nothing. That instead of been the opposite of good it is the lack of good. So if heaven is something, then hell is nothing. If we survive as a form of energy, then hell is the lack of energy (hence cold) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syanide Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 he got the percentage of souls going to hell right, though. i hate the fact that most religions are so untolerant. american protestants ('christians') especially... im going to hell. im scared. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitteny_berk Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 if we're going from the point of view that hell is a place you go to be tortured after death, it'll be whatever you dislike most, so hell is gonna be the temp you hate, and a place you hate, with people you hate which leaves me, going to hell, which'll be about 27 degrees, heaven, and popualated with the very religous do-gooders Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Downin Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 Who says Hell has to be hot. Even the Bible doesn't say that it is literally hot. It simply uses "hot" as a metaphor for explaining that Hell is torturous. It has just been played up by those who take too many of the Bible's proverbs and metaphors as being literal. :yes: Just my view of course. :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanky Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 Whats the bet that everyone goes to hell when they die. Prepare for an eternity of pain. :devil: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chode Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 That's a catch-22 if I've ever heard one. Even if you win the bet, you're going to hell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hum Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 :rolleyes: Oh come on people ... Hell being hot is based on the garbage dumps outside of ancient Jerusalem. And the only 'real' Hell, is caused by your personal beliefs, immediately after death. Those who don't believe in Hell will not experience it. Those who do, the experience is very temporary. You will either be shocked out of it, or guides will step in to rescue you. You should believe that you and the Universe are blessed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kairon Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 Being atheist, I believe when you die you simply cease to exist. No Hell, No Heaven. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Downin Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 I believe in a supreme being. Whether that is the Christian God or not doesn't really matter to me (at this point). I have to believe that something bigger than me is out there... I need to believe that I have some purpose... :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noroom Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 i'm sorry to say it's a fake :) http://www.snopes.com/college/exam/hell.asp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evandarth Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 lol interesting read though its a fake :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dablitz Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 personally i think its baking :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Allen Veteran Posted June 26, 2004 Veteran Share Posted June 26, 2004 That's clever even if fake. Haven't read it before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Veteran Posted June 26, 2004 Veteran Share Posted June 26, 2004 http://www.snopes.com/college/exam/hell.asp :whistle: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wing. Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 hell is what you make it and the same is for heaven :devil: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin-uk Veteran Posted June 26, 2004 Veteran Share Posted June 26, 2004 "This isnt an office, its hell with flourescent lighting" lol :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galley Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 I'm positive that Hell is hot. I'm also sure that it is humid as crap, as well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[jon] Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 may be fake, but a good read :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuantumTrickery Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 I'd have flunked the guy. Seeing as a soul is to have no solid liquid or gas type form, so how can you measure its volume? I'd think of a soul as more of a source of light. It doesn't take up any space, can pass through objects, among other things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mopper Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 trick question... there is no hell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slimy Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 lol i find that funny :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dallas Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 clever student. good read but i bet its fake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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