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Is Hell exothermic or endothermic?
crushelits | Nov. 12, 2004 | crushelits

Posted on 11/12/2004 10:27:34 AM PST by crushelits

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."


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: endothermic; exothermic; hell
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1 posted on 11/12/2004 10:27:39 AM PST by crushelits
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To: crushelits
It's hot.


2 posted on 11/12/2004 10:28:43 AM PST by rdb3 (The Black GOP vote numbers are up, and they WILL go higher. -- rdb3 "Hip-Hop FReeper")
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To: crushelits

Ancient joke, though still funny.


3 posted on 11/12/2004 10:28:49 AM PST by annyokie (If the shoe fits, put 'em both on!)
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To: crushelits

bookmarked, its damn funny


4 posted on 11/12/2004 10:29:52 AM PST by zahal724 (I own a lumber company? Want some wood?)
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To: crushelits
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.

First we need to know whether Hell has mass, whether souls have mass, and whether the mass of Hell, if it has mass, necessarily increases with the addition of souls, if they have mass.
5 posted on 11/12/2004 10:30:03 AM PST by aruanan
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To: crushelits
Is Hell exothermic or endothermic?

I'd say both.

6 posted on 11/12/2004 10:31:02 AM PST by Slyfox
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To: crushelits

ROTHLMAO!! Thanks I needed that laugh!!


7 posted on 11/12/2004 10:31:25 AM PST by Jersey Republican Biker Chick (Never play leapfrog with a unicorn!)
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To: TheBigB; Constitution Day

An oldie but a goodie for tech types.


8 posted on 11/12/2004 10:31:55 AM PST by Fierce Allegiance (Stay safe in the "sandbox" Greg! THANK YOU TO ALL VETERANS!)
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To: crushelits
Click here for Snopes version.
9 posted on 11/12/2004 10:32:13 AM PST by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)
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To: aruanan

"First we need to know whether Hell has mass, whether souls have mass, and whether the mass of Hell, if it has mass, necessarily increases with the addition of souls, if they have mass."

There's Mass in Hell.
Presided over by pedophile priests.


10 posted on 11/12/2004 10:32:42 AM PST by Vicomte13 (Auta i Lome!)
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To: Slyfox

Would that make it "omnithermic"?


11 posted on 11/12/2004 10:32:55 AM PST by paulcissa (Only YOU can prevent liberalism.)
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To: crushelits
Is Hell exothermic or endothermic?

No.

12 posted on 11/12/2004 10:33:08 AM PST by ASA Vet (Future Iraqi maps should show the Fullujah Crater.)
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To: annyokie

May be an old joke, but I hadn't seen this variation. Funny no end..."Oh my God!!!"


13 posted on 11/12/2004 10:33:13 AM PST by el_texicano (Liberals are the real Mind-Numbed Robots - No Brains, No Guts, No Character...Just hate)
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To: crushelits

Lol, I still remember this gag from my high school days. Thanks for the memories.


14 posted on 11/12/2004 10:33:58 AM PST by Ex-Dem (AFL-CIO - Where organized labor becomes organized crime.)
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To: crushelits

Hell exists outside the current scientific understanding of the universe. However, considering the souls that enter it invariably feel heat, if one were able to apply the laws of thermodynamics to it, it would be considered exothermic.


15 posted on 11/12/2004 10:35:56 AM PST by steveegg (Free Belling)
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To: mhking

Nice diversion from the news of the day ping.


16 posted on 11/12/2004 10:38:23 AM PST by steveegg (Free Belling)
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To: el_texicano

It's a scream, I agree. I sent it to my brainy Priest friend some three or four years ago. I still chuckle at it.


17 posted on 11/12/2004 10:38:27 AM PST by annyokie (If the shoe fits, put 'em both on!)
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To: crushelits

FWD: Fwd: Fwd: Fwd: fwd: FWD: FWD: Fwd: Fwd: Fwd: fwd: FWD: FWD: Fwd: Fwd: Fwd: fwd: FWD: FWD: Fwd: Fwd: Fwd: fwd: FWD: FWD: Fwd: Fwd: Fwd: fwd: FWD: FWD: Fwd: Fwd: Fwd: fwd: FWD: FWD: Fwd: Fwd: Fwd: fwd: FWD:


18 posted on 11/12/2004 10:39:56 AM PST by phxaz (w: the ppl who elected you want berger prosecuted.)
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To: crushelits

It's only funny if you don't believe in the existence of Hell.


19 posted on 11/12/2004 10:41:55 AM PST by O.C. - Old Cracker (When the cracker gets old, you wind up with Old Cracker. - O.C.)
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To: Fierce Allegiance
This one always makes me laugh. :) This one and the one about the philosophy Professor whose final exam consisted of a blank sheet of paper with the word "Why?" on top. While others were struggling with deep and existential writings, one student wrote "Why not?" and turned his paper in.

Needless to say, he received the only "A" in the class. :)

20 posted on 11/12/2004 11:40:51 AM PST by TheBigB (<--------shameless online flirt. :o))
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