> > > > > > The following is an actual question given on 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, 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 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 postulate given to me by Ms. Teresa Banyan
during
> > > > > > my Freshman year that "...it will be a cold day in Hell before I
> > > > > > give you my number" and take into account the fact that I still
> >have
> > > > > > not succeeded in aquiring her number, then 2 cannot be true, and
> > > > > > thus I am sure that Hell is exothermic and will not freeze.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > The student received the only "A".
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > >