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The Alternative Alchemist

HELL EXPLAINED BY CHEMISTRY STUDENT

1/6/2010

3 Comments

 
The following is NOT an actual question given on a University of Washington chemistry mid term. It is a hoax, and an urban legend. However it is humorous and begs the question...is there a hell? Note that I dont know where this originated (although I'm sure snopes does http://www.snopes.com/)  so I dont know to whom credit (if any) should be given....However read on, have a good chuckle and then ponder....hell or no hell....you decide.

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.'

So, according to this apparently very bright chemistry student there is no hell.

Agree or disagree?
)
3 Comments
Destiny
9/27/2010 01:20:00 pm

How do you know it's not an actual question and answer? Snopes has nothing on it.

Are you making an assumption? Or, can you reply with proof you know its a hoax?

I really want to know what source you used to discredit this....

Thanks!

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Jersey City Girls link
7/11/2012 04:50:42 am

Just dropped by to say hello, so, hello mate!

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nicolebella link
9/2/2013 01:45:32 am

I love this blog layout, which template is it?

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    I have had a lifelong interest in philosophy and spirituality. Finding only bits and pieces of in various texts that resonated with me, I decided to create my own code. I called it the Book of Aedan, and it was the genesis of this blog.

    "Caminante, no hay camino, Se hace camino al andar.

    Traveler, there is no path, Paths are made by walking."

    Antonio Machado (as quoted by Annie Proulx.)

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