REFLECTOR:This is too good to not share with my Velocity Buddies!
Andy Millin
reflector@tvbf.org
Tue, 3 Jun 2003 08:10:19 -0400
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Snopes.com
http://www.snopes.com/college/exam/hell.htm
-----Original Message-----
From: reflector-admin@tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-admin@tvbf.org]On Behalf
Of Chris Martin
Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2003 1:35 AM
To: reflector
Subject: REFLECTOR:This is too good to not share with my Velocity Buddies!
Question ...
The following is an actual question given on a University of
Washington chemistry mid-term exam. 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, but fell short in producing a demonstration argument.
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 soul! s are leaving. As for how many
souls are
entering Hell, lets 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. If Hell is ex! panding at a rate faster than the increase of souls in
Hell, then the temperature and pressure will drop until Hell freezes over.
Considering then the postulate presented to me by Teresa K. 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 over two years later, 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."
This student received the only "A".
---
--- christophercmartin@earthlink.net
--- EarthLink: It's your Internet.
_______________________________________________ To change your email
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<DIV><SPAN class=3D828100812-03062003><FONT face=3DArial=20
color=3D#0000ff>Snopes.com</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D828100812-03062003><FONT face=3DArial=20
color=3D#0000ff></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D828100812-03062003><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff><A=20
href=3D"http://www.snopes.com/college/exam/hell.htm">http://www.snopes.co=
m/college/exam/hell.htm</A></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D828100812-03062003><FONT face=3DArial=20
color=3D#0000ff></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D828100812-03062003></SPAN> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV class=3DOutlookMessageHeader dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft><FONT=20
face=3DTahoma>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>=20
reflector-admin@tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-admin@tvbf.org]<B>On Behalf =
Of=20
</B>Chris Martin<BR><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, June 03, 2003 1:35 =
AM<BR><B>To:</B>=20
reflector<BR><B>Subject:</B> REFLECTOR:This is too good to not share =
with my=20
Velocity Buddies!<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<P>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Question ... <BR><BR>The following is an =
actual question=20
given on a University of <BR>Washington chemistry mid-term exam. The =
answer by=20
one student was so <BR>"profound" that the professor shared it with=20
colleagues, <BR>via the Internet, which is, of course, why we now have =
the=20
pleasure <BR>of enjoying it as well. <BR><BR>*** Bonus Question *** =
<BR>Is=20
Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)? =
<BR><BR>Most=20
of the students wrote proofs of their beliefs using Boyle's Law, =
<BR>gas cools=20
off when it expands and heats up when it is compressed) or <BR>some =
variant,=20
but fell short in producing a demonstration argument. <BR>One student, =
however, wrote the following: <BR><BR>"First, we need to know how the =
mass of=20
Hell is changing in time. So we <BR>need to know the rate that souls =
are=20
moving into Hell and the rate they are <BR>leaving. I think that we =
can safely=20
assume that once a soul gets to Hell, <BR>it will not leave. =
Therefore, no=20
soul! s are leaving. As for how many souls are <BR>entering Hell, lets =
look at=20
the different religions that exist in the world <BR>today. Most of =
these=20
religions state that if you are not a member of their <BR>religion, =
you will=20
go to Hell. Since there are more than one of these <BR>religions and =
since=20
people do not belong to more than one religion, we can <BR>project =
that all=20
souls go to Hell. With birth and death rates as they are, <BR>we can =
expect=20
the number of souls in Hell to increase exponentially. <BR><BR>Now, we =
look at=20
the rate of change of the volume in Hell because Boyle's <BR>Law =
states that=20
in order for the temperature and pressure in Hell to stay the =
<BR>same, the=20
volume of Hell has to expand proportionately as souls are added. =
<BR><BR>This=20
gives two possibilities: <BR>1. If Hell is expanding at a slower rate =
than the=20
rate at which souls enter <BR>Hell, then the temperature and pressure =
in Hell=20
will increase until all <BR>Hell breaks loose. <BR><BR>2. If Hell is =
ex!=20
panding at a rate faster than the increase of souls in <BR>Hell, then =
the=20
temperature and pressure will drop until Hell freezes over.=20
<BR><BR>Considering then the postulate presented to me by Teresa K. =
during my=20
<BR>Freshman year: that "it will be a cold day in Hell before I sleep =
with=20
<BR>you," and take into account the fact that over two years later, I =
still=20
have not <BR>succeeded in having relations with her; then, #2 cannot =
be true,=20
and thus I <BR>am sure that Hell is exothermic and will not freeze."=20
<BR><BR><B>This student received the only "A".<FONT lang=3D0=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" face=3DVerdana color=3D#000000=20
FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF"></B></FONT> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>--- </DIV>
<DIV>--- <A=20
=
href=3D"mailto:christophercmartin@earthlink.net">christophercmartin@earth=
link.net</A></DIV>
<DIV>--- EarthLink: It's your Internet.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<P></P>_______________________________________________ To change your =
email=20
address, visit http://www.tvbf.org/mailman/listinfo/reflector Visit =
the=20
gallery! tvbf:jamaicangoose </BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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