When Hell Freezes Over

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 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 two 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.'


THIS STUDENT RECEIVED AN A+.

Assuming this article is legit (which I doubt), It's quite clever.

Actually, it's clever either side, in a dumb sort-a-way.

"Q.E.D" Woody, which means this student latched onto the satire behind what no one really knows (Hell!).

When demonstrating mathematical Proofs, its typical to end the exercise with "Q.E.D." (quod erat demonstrandum, which means, literally, "which was to be demonstrated)."

I laughed when reading your piece and suspect that the student in question did a great job evanagelizing his disciple by making her call upon God!

[just kidding, but the piece serves it's purpose!]

Hey Woody... I'm not surprised at all that when concepts deeper than drumsticks enter into a forum for discussion with no response, other than those like me, et. al., everyone ignores it.

Too bad that when you introduced a concept toward the growth of everyone, no one seems to even admit to their ignorance, let alone knowledge of what is being spoken about toward the benefit of others. It's sad... isn't it?

Yet we All occupy Space & Time with physics into realms that dimensions come into play... (and I'm not talking drumsticks nor music)...