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Subject: Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)?
Vapid    11/16/2004 4:52:31 PM
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."

THIS STUDENT RECEIVED THE ONLY "A"

Vapid
P.S. Don't beat the messenger
 
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eon    RE:Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)?   11/16/2004 5:04:55 PM
According to Dante, at least the Ninth Circle of Hell, AKA Perdition, is a great frozen plain with sinners frozen into it. This would be consistent with an endothermic energy curve profile..
 
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Roman    RE:Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)?   11/17/2004 3:09:45 AM
The student well deserved his "A"!
 
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dudley    RE:Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)?   11/17/2004 3:34:37 AM
Gives off heat otherwise aint noone gonna burn in hell huh?
 
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eon    RE:Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)?   11/17/2004 10:03:19 AM
Depends on the overall energy-binding curve, Dudley. It's like being in a space shuttle during reentry; the exact temperature gradient depends on what part of the structure you're talking about (interior, heatshield, etc.) The logical hypothesis is that Hell has some form of energy-generation capability to power it, which could explain Aligheri's description of various "circles" being different environments as part of a highly-sophisticated energy-containment system with integral waste-heat management plus standby emergency cooling systems in event of runaway reaction or primary system failure (hence the frozen plain). My theory is that Old Scratch may run the place, but Himself designed it (or maybe delegated the job to Gabriel or Peter), so it would be configured for optimum efficiency with numerous failsafes, as He doesn't want any more trouble out of the place (or its inhabitants) than He absolutely has to put up with.....at least, not until Judgement Day..
 
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fullamongo    RE:Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)?   11/17/2004 1:15:25 PM
Hell having to obey the laws of physics...LOL! I can see God now: by the way, peter, it's got to obey the laws of physics. What? What! Don't worry, you can use Excel. Whats Excel? Lets just say, its perfect for designing hell. Watch out for the blaster worm virus. Make sure you put up a firewall. Ah, ok, chief.
 
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Final Historian    RE:Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)?   11/17/2004 2:42:22 PM
"Don't worry, you can use Excel. Whats Excel? Lets just say, its perfect for designing hell. Watch out for the blaster worm virus. Make sure you put up a firewall. Ah, ok, chief" Thats funny, I always thought that Excel was the work of the Evil One...
 
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Vapid    RE:Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)?   11/17/2004 2:44:00 PM
Roman--The student well deserved his "A"! Vapid--Depends on what Teresa looked like. Vapid
 
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FJV    Is hell capitalist or socialist?   11/17/2004 3:14:33 PM
Supposing hell is capitalist then: If hell is exothermic, money will be made by using the heat hell gives off for generating electricity. If hell is endothermic, money will be made by using hell as a giant refridgerator. Either way money will be made. Which brings me to the next question:
 
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fullamongo    RE:Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)?   11/17/2004 7:16:08 PM
"Thats funny, I always thought that Excel was the work of the Evil One..." Bill Gates outsourced the programming...
 
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eon    RE:Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)?   11/18/2004 9:33:07 AM
Hell is almost certainly socialist. It operates on the strongman principle, is run according to long-term planning that ignores objective conditions, and hasn't shown a profit since the Fall. Oh, and the CEO got the job by getting transferred by his employer due to failing one too many PEs..
 
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Thomas    RE:Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)?   11/18/2004 9:42:37 AM
From a humanistic point of view: The concept of hell as a warm place is a mideastern idea. And heaven was cool. Just read 1001 nights. To the old norse hell was frozen solid. Litt: The older edda.
 
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eon    RE:Is Hell socialist or caspitalist?-pt. 2   11/20/2004 3:20:47 PM
Oops, almost forgot- Another proof that Hell is socialist is that all there who are not of the upper echelon are expected to suffer and toil indefinitely to build a better future that may arrive at some indeterminate time in said future. And no dissent allowed (you can, however, criticize Heaven all you like.......).
 
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