alex
Well-Known Member
Logico deductivism in Thermodynamics
The following is an actual question given on a University of
Washington chemistry midterm. 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 sleep with you.", and take into account the fact that
I still have not succeeded in having sexual relations with her,
then #2 cannot be true, and thus I am sure that Hell is
exothermic and will not freeze.
The student received the only "A" given.
The following is an actual question given on a University of
Washington chemistry midterm. 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 sleep with you.", and take into account the fact that
I still have not succeeded in having sexual relations with her,
then #2 cannot be true, and thus I am sure that Hell is
exothermic and will not freeze.
The student received the only "A" given.
